The Annual Pumpkin Giveaway brought to you by and Remax Team Galt will be from 5-7pm Thursday, October 13. As always, pumpkins are free with no strings attached. But wait! We have something new this year! Heather Jones Photography will be taking photos, posed and candid, and will share them with you. Come to our mini pumpkin patch and make it a family event!
Learn why it’s important to have an insurance check-up on an annual basis and read what things to discuss with your agent.
Contest organized by:
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
410 South Pearl Street, Cicero, Indiana 46034
Create a poster of any size using crayons, paints, or pencils with the theme, “In God we trust”.
Grand Prize-1yr. Family membership at the Cicero Pool, your poster will be made into a Banner and will be carried in the 4th
of July Parade and displayed at the Kids Fair
.
Up to Kindergarten– Winner and Poster can walk in parade, the poster displayed at the Kids Fair following.
1st and 2nd grade- Winner and Poster can walk in parade, the poster displayed at the Kids Fair following.
3rd and 4th grade- Winner and Poster can walk in parade the poster displayed at the Kids Fair following.
5th and 6th grade- Winner and Poster can walk in parade the poster displayed at the Kids Fair following.
Details:
· Youth living in Jackson and White River Township are eligible to participate.
· Participants must be no older than 6th grade.
· Posters will be judged by a committee made up of members of the Lights Over Morse Board, Cicero Business Onwer and Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.
ENTRY IS DUE FRIDAY, JUNE 17TH.
Entries will be accepted at Gymies, Penwell Insurance (30 S. Peru St.) and Edward Jones in Cicero or mailed to Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church 429 S. Main,
Cicero, Indiana, 46034.
“In God we trust” poster contest Sponsored by Sacred Heart of Jesus
Catholic Church. Lights Over Morse 4th of July Celebration Youth event.
Include the entry form with the poster. Entry Forms are available at Penwell Insurance (30 S. Peru St), Gymies, and Edward Jones and will take approximately 1 minute to complete. Entry forms require the following information:
· Youth Name
· Address
· Parent/Guardian
If your child moves out of the house should you keep them on your auto insurance policy?
If you know someone who currently has their dependent’s insurance set-up this way, we highly recommend they get a statement in writing from the current agent demonstrating that the child has coverage even though they do not live in the household. Chances are the agent won’t send that e-mail or letter because most companies would not knowingly insure the child under the parent’s policy. Would an insurance company cover the client if this was the situation? Possibly, but there may be legal issues and the insurance company may cancel the client for misrepresentation. Additionally, if the insured cannot produce any documented piece of evidence (such as an email or signed letter on company letterhead) showing they notified their agent of the situation and were told/assured coverage is still in place, the next place to look for clarification is in the policy itself. When we look at the policy it likely says coverage is only for relatives who reside in the household. Ultimately, our goal as an agency and agents is to never operate in the gray area between covered and not covered.
We provide our clients with the coverage that best fits their needs and are just as happy as they are when the end result is giving them peace of mind that the policy is written properly and, as it often happens, actually saves them money at the same time.
Did you know that if you go fishing without a license, receive a ticket, and don’t pay your fine, that it will go on your driving record? Yes, that’s correct. The BMV is contacted and your license can be temporarily suspended for not paying the ticket for fishing without a license.
Progressive has an ap for both iPhones and Droids. If you use the applications, let us know what you think.
Welcome Susan and Bret to our family of clients! We were happy to save you around $1000 a year on home and auto insurance even with some additional coverage by switching from All State to Erie Insurance. Sometimes it’s all about timing. A few years ago, pricing wise they were good where they were at with All State. Thanks for giving Penwell Insurance the opportunity!
The following article is an excerpt from the Eriesense Fall 2010 provided by Erie Insurance Company. Because we found it very interesting we thought we would share it with all of you.
Click here for the Eriesense Full Article
Small damage, big costs
Over in Illinois, a Customer of Willis’, Nicholas Klaus, had added earthquake coverage to his home at Willis’ urging shortly before the 2008 quake hit.
The Illinois quake only caused minor damage, but it included collapsed porches and shifted bricks—types of damage that can be costly for individual families to repair but with which insurance can help.
“Thankfully, nothing happened to our house, but it was just nice knowing that we had the extra coverage,” says Klaus, who lives with his wife, Ashley, and son, Lucas, in Highland. “It gives you peace of mind because you know if anything major happens, your insurance company will be there.”
The New Madrid Fault and the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone present the greatest earthquake risk east of the Rocky Mountains. Although the earthquakes are less frequent in this area than in places like California, the damage they cause can be far greater due to underlying geology. Learn more at eriesense.com.
Although earthquakes in Illinois don’t seem to be common, the state is considered to be a high risk area for quakes because of The New Madrid fault line. The fault stretches from the area near Cairo, Ill., south to Marked Tree, Ark. All told, it crosses five state lines and cuts across the Mississippi River in three places and the Ohio River twice. (The 2008 quake was caused by a nearby minor fault system, the Wabash Valley Seismic zone.)
The folks living in those states are far from alone in being vulnerable to rumbling earth—all 11 of the states in which ERIE does business are susceptible to some degree of seismic activity—even New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., where people least expect it.
“We tend to think about disasters in a way that gives people a false sense of security,” says IBHS’ Rochman. “People often think it can’t happen here. But you need to prepare even if you think bad things won’t happen because they can.”
What to know about coverage
When it comes to insurance and catastrophes, there’s a simple maxim—assume nothing. You probably know that the typical homeowners policy covers the majority of damage from storms, wind or falling trees and branches, as well as fire loss. But did you know that there are certain events that require additional coverage? Earthquakes and floods sit in this latter list.
ERIE Agents are the go-to people who can give you specific details about what is covered under your homeowners policy and what’s not. They can help identify and explain additional coverages to consider.
Willis, the Illinois Agent, holds those types of conversations routinely. With his past personal experience and close proximity to the New Madrid fault line, he urges all of his Customers to get earthquake coverage.
“I have earthquake coverage myself, and I see the value of it because of how close we are to a major fault line,” Willis says. “I think in my lifetime we will see an earthquake big enough to do some serious damage, and people need to be protected.”
Indeed, scientists estimate there’s a 25 percent chance that an earthquake topping 7.5 on the Richter scale will rock the New Madrid region some time before 2040. The last quake of that magnitude hit there in 1811, causing severe damage. In comparison, the quake that recently devastated Haiti registered 7.0 on the Richter scale. And, ironically, the last quake of that magnitude in Haiti occurred in 1811—the same year as the big New Madrid quake.
Willis says the vast majority of his Customers get the coverage. When they do, he is careful to fully explain what is covered and how the insurance works.
“Earthquake coverage typically carries higher deductibles than a homeowners policy,” he says. The reason: the coverage is aimed at insuring against a major loss, not a few broken windows or a favorite vase falling off the mantle. Deductibles can range from two percent of the total loss to up to 10 percent in regions in which seismic activity is more common.
Quake-proofing your homeInsurance provides protection against “the big one” but what about the other smaller tremors that can cause minor damage or injury in your home? An average of 3,500 earthquakes have occurred in the United States each year over the past 10 years, some of them carrying enough oomph to knock items off walls, break windows, and shift foundations.
The IBHS Web site, disastersafety.org, can help. It offers an earthquake retrofit guide that provides a comprehensive list of structural and non-structural upgrades. These upgrades, such as securing bookshelves to the wall, are designed to enhance a home’s ability to withstand the effects of a quake.
“The earth is constantly moving,” Rochman says. “There isn’t an earthquake season; they can happen anytime, without warning. The time to prepare is now.”
Be prepared, no matter what
No doubt, after the earthquake rattled the region where ERIE Agent Jeremy Willis lives and does business, people made the effort to “quake-proof” their homes. The tremor served as an incentive for some.
“The few people who we insure who didn’t have earthquake coverage were calling to see if they could get it,” Willis says. “There’s nothing quite like some shaking ground to get people thinking about getting the added protection.”
Tips on quake-proofing your favorite belongings
For those living in areas not particularly prone to earthquakes, the majority of preparation should be spent on non-structural aspects. Walk through your house identifying items that “could become a projectile and cause harm,” says Julie Rochman, president and CEO of the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). Such items include pictures or mirrors hanging on the walls, flat screen televisions or large televisions on a stand or in an armoire.
Rearrange the furniture in your home so beds are kept away from windows or large furniture that could overturn on someone while he or she is sleeping. As with any disaster preparation, it’s a good idea to put together an emergency kit and know where your gas, electric, and water main shut offs are and how to use them.
When it comes to structural reinforcements, there are a wide range of steps you can take to fortify your home against earthquake. They range from bracing your chimney and water heater to securing your roof to the structural part of your home and anchoring the house’s structure to the foundation. It’s best to turn to an experienced contractor to handle the majority of structural upgrades that protect against earthquake damage. Read more at disastersafety.org.
The annual cost of the coverage is reasonable, however. For instance, Willis said a homeowner living in a house valued at $250,000 in his area pays $70 per year for ERIE coverage that includes a deductible of 10 percent of the coverage limit on the home alone. That’s $25,000. If other structures or personal property are damaged, other deductibles apply based on the coverage limits for each.*
Terry McConnell, vice president and manager of Personal Lines Underwriting for ERIE, notes that once the ground starts to rumble, it’s too late to secure earthquake coverage for a period of time. There is a 72-hour waiting period to account for potential aftershocks that might be related to the first quake.
Find out why the Penwell “Custom Review” quote process will help you obtain the coverage that is right for you and your specific needs.
