COUNTING DOWN THE BIG FOUR - #3 Allstate

THE ALLSTATE STAND

Topping the list at #3 (was #2 last year) is Allstate.  When I'm making sales calls, many of my potential clients tell me I sound like the "Allstate Man" (Dennis Haysbert) and actually mistake the company I work for that very reason.  Most folks recognize Haysbert as well as Dean Winters (The Mayhem Guy), but may not know much about the history of one of the more reputable insurance companies. 

Allstate at a glance: 

• Founded by General Robert E. Wood in 1931 (Sears, Roebuck, and Co). 
• Trained women to be insurance agents in 1942 (military leave for men). 
• Opened first claims office in 1952.
• Allstate Foundation started grants program to train driver's ed. instructors. 
• Neighborhood Office Agent Program launched in 1984. 
• Began publicly trading in 1993. 
• Currently #92 on the Forbes Fortune 500; $123.5B in total assets.
• 12,000 Agent offices in the US and Canada; 70,000 employees/staff.
• Allstate branding includes Encompass and Esurance. 

TERM VS. PERM - The Debate Goes On

People often cringe at the thought of not being around anymore, i.e. death.  What should be more scary is what happens to your spouse, children, and estate WHEN you don't come through the doors one day. There are many ways to take care of your loved ones from the grave. Life insurance is a great way to provide large sums of money without "on the cheap."  

The growing debate is whether to buy permanent (whole or universal) life insurance or temporary (term) insurance and invest the difference of the two.  Here's my two cents: 

The younger you are, the wiser it is to purchase permanent life insurance.  Those with young children should also purchase a policy for their child not for the death benefit (although you never know) but for the living benefit and financial growth.  That's another topic altogether.  

My suggestion is to have both types of life insurance, but to not "over-insure" yourself.  Think about it like this, would you want your loved ones to have to pay off a car and home if you owe on both when you expire?  

A 30 year term policy is a cheap way of covering both your home and auto(s) should you die unexpectedly.  If you own your  home outright, but have a loan on your vehicle, a 5 year term policy makes sense should anything happen to you during your loan period. 

Younger people who may actually take a moment to read this, you're getting older each day and the cost of insuring your life gets more and more expensive each year.  #thinkonthat

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION.

COMPARE BEFORE YOU SHOP, Part 4 ~ Renter's/Tenant's Insurance

Do Your Homework - RENTER'S/TENANT POLICIES

Ever stop to think just how much the stuff you've accumulated would actually cost to replace?  Go "shopping" around your apartment or rental home/condo one day and you would be surprised.  Ever stop to think about someone slipping and falling on your stairs or in your kitchen and you being sued?  What if you're cooking a fabulous meal for you and your significant other and the kitchen goes up in flames?  Do you have coverage if the neighbor (either upstairs or next door) causes a water leak that leads to your apartment being flooded and they have no renter's insurance?  

These scenarios are very real and could happen to anyone, yet could be avoided for merely pennies a day.  Most renter's insurance policies (depending on the amount of personal property you insure) run about $15-$25 per month and usually cover a minimum of $100,000 for your personal liability should you damage your rental unit due to negligence on your part.  Your liability coverage would also cover you should someone injure themselves at your residence and attempt to collect damages from you.  Most renter's insurance policies also provide you with some minimum coverages for jewelry, furs, computer items, silverware, etc. as well as basic medical expense coverage (usually $1,000) should you need it.  

Be sure you compare products and get the best possible liability coverage to protect your personal assets.

COMPARE BEFORE YOU SHOP, Part 2 ~ Homeowner's Insurance

Do Your Homework - HOMEOWNER'S POLICIES, TX

Many times when I'm quoting homeowner's policies, the cost of the premium scares people away. Buying a home is a very tedious process; takes time, money, patience, and more money.  Why should insuring a home be any different?  

When insuring your family's lifelong memories, one must consider more than what it costs to insure the home, but what it would cost to rebuild in the event of a total loss? Of course nobody wants to think of losing "everything" to a fire or natural disaster, but insurance exists for a reason.  

It's never as simple as choosing the lowest bidder.  What is the insurance policy actually insuring? Are you getting dwelling foundation and water damage endorsements or not?  Most companies (and I'm speaking of Texas) allow you to choose those options when you start your insurance plan (at an additional cost of course), but you can't add it on later should you decide you want it.  

Is your home being insured to value (100%) or just to 80% where you are responsible for the other 20% under the co-insurance provision? Do you have replacement cost or actual cash value coverage?  What about your loss of use coverage?  

All of these are things you definitely need to discover by doing your due diligence, asking questions, and taking your time while deciding on home insurance provider.  Price alone is not enough. 

AUTO INSURANCE 101: TO FILE OR NOT TO FILE

AUTO INSURANCE FOR DUMMIES

I get it all of the time ... "Why is my quote so high?  Why did my premium increase?"  The answer is fairly simple, though most things are often easier said then done.

Consistency is the key!!! If you want lower insurance rates, be consistent; pay your bills on time, don't cause accidents, don't get moving violations, don't settle for the limits of liability just to "get off cheap," and most importantly STOP SWITCHING COMPANIES EVERY SIX MONTHS!!!

When getting an auto insurance quote, there is "soft pull" on your credit to access your consumer history report, which can quickly identify trends in timely bill paying, accident or loss history report (claims filed) and previous insurance companies and coverages you've had on your current or past vehicles.

While we can't control reckless drivers, we can certainly control whether or not we follow simple, daily laws/rules to keep our own costs down.  Also, before you submit a claim keep in mind that insurance companies frown on drivers with multiple claims on their consumer history report.

Consider getting a few estimates, then determining if it is better to settle a claim on your own or between you and the other driver, without involving your insurance company.

LIFE INSURANCE ON THE JOB: My two or three cents

IS YOUR FAMILY PROTECTED?

At least five to ten times per day, I have a conversation (albeit usually very brief) with someone regarding life insurance and the potential need their family would have in the event they suddenly don't make it home for dinner. 

I totally understand that most people cringe at the thought that one day they will no longer live and breathe as they currently do, but one thing is for certain we all get a "certain" amount of time here and that time can't be figured out by any algorithm I've ever been privy to.  

The name of the game is making sure your family can continue their same lifestyle should either of the main bread winners make an early, unexpected exit from this life.  Having life insurance at work is a GREAT start! You usually get a pretty good price (if not free) on the coverage and usually one to two times your yearly salary.  

Sounds like a sweet deal on the surface, but the moment you leave that position you no longer have coverage and if you stayed three to five years, you are now that much older when it comes time to rate you for your next life insurance plan. 

How do you combat this issue?  Make sure you have permanent life insurance outside of your employer and make sure you begin that coverage as early as you can to take advantage of the best possible monthly premiums.  Also, be sure you speak to an insurance agent about your options for coverage: term, whole, universal, term vs. whole, whole vs. universal, etc.

PROTECT YOUR ASSETS!

HOW'S YOUR COVERAGE?

How many are currently aware of the amount of money your auto insurance company would pay out in the event that you caused a multiple car accident with injuries or fatalities? 

Your limits of liability (and they vary from state to state) determine the amount of damages (both property and bodily) your insurance company would pay in the event you are at fault in an accident.  

Think about that the next time you look at your insurance ID cards or policy, then think about what your net worth is and/or how much you and/or your spouse bring home each year in salary.  

If your liability limits are not at the point of protecting your net income, you may want to schedule an insurance and financial review with your insurance agent ASAP!  Don't have one, then it's time to re-think that as well.  When it comes to insurance, cheaper usually doesn't mean better and having a local agent is much more beneficial than spinning your wheels speaking to an insurance novice at a 1-800 call center.