Happy New Year!

This New Year’s Eve and day, I am going to try something new.  Superstitious I am not however I am going to try a few lucky foods and practices to see if I have good “luck.”  Since I believe you make your own “luck”, ringing in 2014 with “lucky” items will be an interesting experiment.

 First, eat something green.  I am going to make a salad with edamame, which is a bean.  Therefore, I have number two eating beans under control.  Eating black-eyed peas, technically a bean, is a southern custom.  I do not think I have ever eaten black eye peas.  I I will make them into a “burger” with green (something green) peppers and leeks.  I thought if I add other ingredients, I would be able to eat it.  Green and beans represent money. 

 

 Since I am a vegetarian, eating pork will not happen for me.   A pig digs forward with its nose thus moving forward into the future. Since I like moving forward, I will make pig cookies; I can eat a piggy cookie or two.  From Japan comes the custom of eating soba noodles; the Japanese believe you must slurp the whole noodle and not chew it so you will have long lasting luck.  Who would not want long lasting luck?  The Japanese also eat black beans for good luck though I am not sure of the symbolism though I have the new Triscuit Bean crackers.

 

The Spanish eat 12 grapes as the clock strikes midnight, one for every strike.  I did find organic grapes from the San Joaquin Valley.  Each grape represents a month; if the grape is sweet then you will have a sweet month and if the grape is tart…  Also at midnight, I must smashed a pomegranate at the door observing the further the distance the seeds fall the more luck I will have, that custom comes from the Greeks.   

New Year’s Day begins with a round food item.  A bagel, donut, or killing two birds with one stone, cornbread in a circle.  Cornbread is golden in the color for the riches of gold and the circle brings the year full circle.   For good measure, I am making a round apple cake and hiding a coin in the cake.  That comes from my mom an Armenian; she said it was a way of transporting money during the war to avoid theft.  I read that the person getting the coin will be the luckiest of them all.  I wonder who that will be.  

 

I will be testing these lucky symbolisms in 2014.  Enjoy your celebration whatever it maybe. 

I had a Car Accident

This spring I had a car accident.  It was at an intersection in town; I pulled out from a stop sign into a van.  I still have no idea where the car came from.  I did not see it; was the sun in my eyes? Was the house on the corner blocking my view?  I am still confused.  I try to be a careful driver.  I volunteer with organizations to assist people in need not to make life more difficult.  I was upset!

The ambulance came, the police came, my co-workers came and my husband came to the scene.  The other driver’s family came as well.  Since I was so upset, I had an asthma attack and had to use my rescue inhaler.   We exchanged information and I signed off on refusing transportation to the hospital. I spoke with the other family, asked to make sure she was okay and to seek medical treatment just in case.  I tell that to all my clients involved in an accident.   Then we went our separate ways.

My car was fixed toot sweet.  However, I needed a rental car.  Sure, my husband and I can drive to work together; we would have to make our schedules coincide with each other but our after work activities mean we need two separate cars.  Since I am in the insurance industry, I have rental reimbursement on my automobile insurance policy with Westfield Insurance.  It is roughly $15.00 every six months for coverage per car.  It is well worth the money. 

 

How it works:  Your car is towed or in the shop from a car accident, you arrange for a rental car through the adjuster, you call the rental car company and they bring you a car within the limits of your coverage: example $20.00 a day up to a specified limit on your policy.  I asked for a non-smoking car.  Even though there is no smoking equipment in cars, people still smoke in cars.  They brought me a car that someone had smoked in; I had them take the car back and bring me another one.  Once my car was fixed, I called the car rental company; they came and took the car back.  However, if my car were totaled, I would have 5 days from the settlement of my claim to return the car rental.  If not returned, the payment beyond the five days is my bill. 

 

If you have only one car, rental reimbursement needs to be on your policy.  Catching rides from friends gets old when you want to go somewhere by yourself.  If you and your partner/spouse have separate cars think of how sharing would work.  He has a night out with the boys and you want to go to the gym or have to work late.  Yes, many people share cars however, if you are not accustomed to sharing it can create some unpleasant situations.   Rental reimbursement is the best bang for the buck. 

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Winter is here and the snow is on the ground.  It is time for winter gear.  What is your favorite winter gear?

These are few of my favorite:

The hat has a name; it is called Mad Bomber.  It keeps my ears and head very warm.  It was a little pricey however; it is 12 years old and looks the same as the day I bought it.  It was a great buy and is my go to hat when walking the dog in the cold evenings.

The next survival gear is my ice cleats.  This is my second pair.  I lost one of my cleats in a bad snowstorm and never found it.  These are so inexpensive but are worth every penny.  I do not fall in ice, my dog cannot get the best of me in slippery snow and since they are plastic, I do not dig up my kitchen floor.  They slip over my next purchase, the best boots ever.

Just like my Mad Bomber hat, these boots were not a bargain.  I bought these at the same time I bought the hat.  Cost per wear, I am now wearing a free pair of boots!  They have two strips of elastic across the front of the boot.  I slip them on and slip them off.  Considering I walk my dog every hour, these boots make my life a beach.  Yes, in February I’d rather be at a beach.

While this is not my favorite piece of gear, it is mandatory for me.   A neck gaitor or turtle fur to keep the frigid air from entering my lungs.  I have asthma so having something covering my mouth is necessary and these are lifesavers.  If you know someone that has difficulty breathing the cold air these fleece pieces will be become their must haves too. Either I make my own since they are so easy or I buy them.  They can get slobbery from breathing on the material so it is nice to have more than one.  The only negative is your breath fogs up your glasses.  Foggy glasses vs. asthma attack, I choose the fog. 

My favorite drink in the winter is anything warm.  My drink comes in the best mug; it is called the hand warmer mug.  I love it.  While big enough to hold a large cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate it is thick enough to provide just the correct temperature for warning your hands.

My slippers live at my door in my kitchen or at the side of my bed.  It is the first thing I put on to start the day and last to take off at the end of the day.  The minute I walk through the door I take off my boots and put on my slippers.  These are much loved moccasin slippers.  I even added insoles to them as they have seen better days.  This year I will replace my slippers.

There are other favorite items but the above six are my favorite and I would miss them if they were lost, worn or broken.  I would love to know what your favorite items for winter are. 

Jack Frost is Nipping at my Wood Deck

Oh the weather outside is frightful and then frost begins to cover my wood deck.  This frosting of my deck and sidewalks makes for a very slippery surface.  I do not walk to fall nor do I want my husband or my dog to fall and that does not even begin to address my concern for visitors. 

How do you keep your walkways ice free?  There are common means of addressing ice.  Quick Joe or salt has been used for year.  I do not particularly care for that method since I have a dog, my concrete walkway gets chewed up by the salt and lastly it is rough on the green environment.  You can use cat liter or sand as I have seen suggested on the web but that gets dragged into my kitchen and then all over the house.  My husband and I have found a method to deal with icy walkways that works for us.

It is black rubber mats.  When the first frost shows up my husband retrieves the mats from the barn and places them on the sidewalk up the ramp unto the deck to the porch door.  The mats are heavy and connect to each other so they are stable and do not slide off the walkway or the ramp.  I can easily shovel the snow and even the ice off the mats. 

We bought our mat when we needed them right that very minute.  When my mother was alive my husband and I had people staying with her while we worked as she had Alz.  We did no planning, it was a need rubber mats so our grandma sitters did not fall coming and going from our house.   We went to Home Depot, Lowes and several other stores.  We thought about indoor outdoor carpeting but it was too difficult to shovel.  Then we went into Ollie’s in Scranton.

I like to roam Ollie’s; I think of Ollie’s like an indoor yard sale or flea market.  The stock is not usually the same; their items are leftovers from other stores.  As I was wondering the store my husband was wondering the automotive department when he found these mats designed for garage floors.  They were perfect for what we needed.  After much looking we found our mats are Ollie’s.

Ollie’s motto of “Good Stuff Cheap”, did not apply to these mats.  They were pricey however they have held up over the last 8 years.  We do remove them at the end of snow season.   I will admit I once pushed the snow blower over the mats praying the entire time that I did not destroy the mat or snow blower.  Thankfully both were fine but I never did that again.  I strictly shovel the mats. 

The screen enclosed porch is another matter entirely.  Painting the wood floor with paint containing grit in order to be slip-resistant did not work.  With a light snow that blows in through the screen, the wood floor of the porch is super slippery.  My exuberant dog has splat several times.   In that area, we use an indoor outdoor rug.  That keeps the slide to a minimum and lessens the tracking in dirt.

We live in NEPA.  Other north east areas that experience snow, ice and wet weather demand remedies for the slips and slides.  We have tried these two methods at our home.  What have you tried?  

Looking for a Commercial Lines Customer Service Team Member

Commercial Lines Customer Service
Northeast PA employee owned independent insurance agency specializing in personal lines, commercial lines, life insurance and other financial services is hiring a Team Member in Commercial Lines Customer Service Division

Preferred Requirements

• Commercial Lines Insurance experience

• PA Property and Casualty license
• Sagitta experience preferred

Minimum Requirements

• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills

• Self-motivated and detail oriented
• Ability to work in a team environment
• Strong multi-tasking skills
• Excellent communication skills - written, verbal and listening
• Proficient with online and computer technologies,
 
Responsibilities

• Service existing clients’ billing, policy changes & general questions

• Clients Advocacy & maintaining underwriting standards
• Work with several different insurance companies on a daily basis
• Quote and write policies for existing clients
• Maintain compliance with agency and carrier guidelines
 

Benefits:

• Excellent Compensation Package including, Medical, ESOP & 401K plan

• Production bonus
• Salary plus potential for extra earnings

Please email your resume to maries@dgkinsurance.com

Renting A Car

When traveling by plane to my destination I am without my car.  Being without a car in the USA is very difficult unless you are staying in a city with public transportation.   Where I travel a rental car is usually required.  Everyone who has ever rented a car knows the ensuing dilemma:  do I buy the insurance, how much and which kind?

 

This brings me to my tale.  I traveled to California for my cousin’s funeral, which will be a separate blog.  After I arrived at LAX, I needed to travel to Corona Del Mar, Big Bear, Anaheim and finally back to LAX.  I needed a rental car. 

 

I reserved a rental car online and I had already decided to purchase the physical damage aka Loss Damage Waiver, LDW, for the rental.  What I still need to decide is the liability.  If you purchase their liability, any at fault accident you may have with the rental car, the liability coverage will come from the rental car insurance and not my own insurance.  Armed with most of the information about coverages, I approached the counter at the rental car.

 

I decided to buy their additional or supplemental liability coverage since I was traveling in several affluent areas of California.  I purchased the LDW, liability along with supplemental liability.  Does that sound like over kill?  The “basic liability” is similar to PA’s basic coverage: $15,000 for injury/death to one person, $30,000 for injury/death to more than one person and $5,000 for damage to property.  Since I believe PA’s basic coverage required by law is too low for adequate protect, I believe CA’s is also too low, hence the purchase of the Supplemental Liability for up to one million dollars of coverage.  I carry an umbrella in PA I wanted the same liability limit in CA. 

 

I incurred those extra charges for the rental car.  The rental started at $105.00 by the time taxes, fees and insurance were added, the cost of renting a Chevrolet Malibu tallied $409.00.  The rental company, Advantage, also added a refundable $200 deposit to the charge for a grand total of $609.00 for five days.  I wanted to cry.  I felt hoodwinked, bullied and conned all at the same time. 

 

I needed the insurance coverages; I wanted the insurance coverages.  I just did not want it to be so expensive.  It seemed so imbalanced.  Ah, you say I did not need the insurance coverage?   I beg to differ.

 

 If I were in a car accident, let us assume no other parties involved, the coverage would have to come from my own automobile insurance.  I have a deductible of $500 for collision and I would be responsible for any down time for the rental.  Down time for a rental is NOT covered under my own auto insurance; remember they have my credit card so that charge would go directly on my credit card.  If I do not have collision coverage on any of my own cars then the rental would not have collision coverage and I incur the whole cost of the damage and down time immediately on my credit card.  Some rentals demand payment immediately, remember my credit card, and have you settle with your insurance company.  If the car is totaled it is the cost to replace the car!

 

Let us look at an at-fault accident, mine, and another vehicle.  The liability coverage I purchased comes into play in this instance.  I am now responsible for not just the damage to the rental vehicle, I am also responsible for the damage to another car and possibly a person.  If someone is injured, there could be a lawsuit; I stayed in areas where homes were valued at $15,000,000.  I could let my automobile insurance answer this claim by not buying the liability or supplemental liability or have the rental car company address this claim by purchasing the liability and supplemental liability.  I prefer the rental car company answer this.  Therefore, I paid for the coverages.  It did not make me feel any less conned or hoodwinked by some car rental person.

 

Back to my tale, I parked my rental car across the street from my cousin’s house in Corona Del Mar.  The street has 4 houses, all worth over $5,000,000 each.  The house that was across from the car was valued at $15,000,000.  The next afternoon I came out to the car to drive to Big Bear for my cousin’s funeral and I could not open the driver’s door.  I tried again and the door would not budge.  I investigated the area that was stuck and then I saw the dented panel and door.  Someone struck the car while parked and left no note. 

 

I had to be in Big Bear!  I called the police while traveling to Big Bear.  I had to come to them to make a complaint so they could view the damage and no, an email picture would not be acceptable.  I was not coming back to Corona Del Mar.  I called the rental company to explain that I called the police but I could not go the station to fill out a report where there were no witnesses.  The rental person said you purchased the LDW, no problem you will have to fill out a report when you return the car; end of story.

 

I made it to Big Bear in time.  I did not fill out a police report; it really seemed useless to do so since there were no witnesses and I wanted to spend time with my family.  I was still apprehensive when I returned the damaged rental car.  I pulled into the return car area, was given a form to complete regarding the details of the damage – hit and run of a parked car, was told a claim agent would call the next day and there was no charge or problem. 

 

I received the call when I was home.  The claim agent said you have the LDW insurance I just need you to repeat what happened.   That was it.  I still have not received my refundable $200 deposit; I am waiting on that.  There are no other charges on my card like deductible or down time of the rental.  While I am not happy with the cost, I am happy with the outcome.  My advice is buy the LDW and liability; it saves in the long run.

 

 

Knock, Knock, Anyone Home?

I had my home broken into when I lived on the highway outside of Tunkhannock.  My house was perfect for the pickings.  I had trees and shrubs that blocked the view of doors and windows.  I had teenage children that did not always lock doors.  I did not have curtains on all of my windows.  The outside lighting was minimal.  The doors and windows had very flimsy locks.  No wonder my home was broken into!

 

On a good note I had very little to take.  The burglars ransacked the house looking for good stuff.  I was a single mother with 2 teenage daughters.  I bought clothes.  The only television was not new and it was before ipods, ipads and kindles.  Nothing was taken, just messy.

 

They got in through an old single-pane side glass and opened the lock on the door, which was hidden from the road by a big apple tree.  Then the intruders walked right in the house.  If they watched my house at any time, they would know my daughters went to school and I went to work.  We all returned home between 6:00pm and 8:00pm.  We were the proverbial perfect mark. 

 

I learned what not to do by that experience.  After we scrubbed every inch of the house, we changed our ways.  I trimmed all the bushes around the windows, I bought curtains, we locked our doors and first floor windows when we left and at night. We stopped leaving the garage doors open; no reason for anyone to go “shopping: in my garage.  I bought several motion-activated spotlights and installed them all around the house and garage; my house looked like a small airport. 

 

I practice more safety tips now that I live in the boonies and everyone can tell I am at work during the day.  When I am home, I am outside or the dog is outside.  Therefore, if my house is quiet during the day it means no one is home.  I practice techniques that I learned, curtains on windows, locked doors and windows, I keep the barns and shed doors closed if I am working outside, all out-buildings have locks and my house is still  lit like a small airport.  I have a small safety deposit box at the bank for important or expensive items; the box annual fee is $40.00.  I do not have an alarm, I have deadbolt locks and I do have a dog.  Dogs tend to scare thieves away, sometimes. 

 

I believe, if someone really wanted to break in my house, s/he will find a way to do it.  I take precautions it is the best I can do along with insurance for my belongings.  Like many people, I keep an inventory list of my things and update it when I finish with taxes.  There are companies that do inventories and video for you like Asset Docs (http://www.theassetdocs.com/).  If I do get broken into again at least I know the thieves had to work for their “take.”

Feed a Fever, Starve a Cold

I have the sniffles, stuffy head, sore throat, chills and I am trying to develop a cough.  I. HAVE. A. COLD.

When I start to get a cold the first thing I do is have a cup of black tea with lemon and honey.  I like Lipton tea and I use local honey currently from Gingher’s in Tunkhannock.  The next thing I do is make homemade veggie soup that includes some crushed dried red pepper flakes for some heat to help my sinuses. 

I have tried Mucinex and pseudoephedrine unsuccessfully.  The medicine either keeps me awake or I sleep for 3 hours and then lie awake for the remainder of the night.  I have other tricks for colds that seem to be more successful. 

I use eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil in the water when I mop the floors.

I also put about 6 drops of eucalyptus oil on the faucet in the shower so it vaporizes in the hot steamy shower.  I rub Vicks only on my feet followed by wearing warm comfy socks.  I drink unsweetened cherry juice mixed with water in a ration of 1:3 for inflammation.  I also drink a mixture of Ginger Soother in hot water also a ration of 1:3 for an upset stomach, sore throat and nasal congestion.  Lastly I curtail my 7 days a week exercise program to only walking and stretching.  I stay away from the pool when I have chills and I try not to over exert so I do not sweat.  I figure if my body is working to maintain a proper body temperature it will be unable to fight the pesky rhinovirus?

 

The human rhinovirus is responsible for the common cold.  The entry for the rhinovirus is the upper respiratory system which is the perfect temperature for the virus at 89 degrees.  The virus begins replicating itself within 15 minutes of entering and attaching to the body.  The majority of people will develop symptoms in 24 to 48 hours. 

Treatments for the cold are still in the development stage.  We can only treat the uncomfortable symptoms which can be chills, sore throat, congestion, cough, loss of appetite and all other influenza symptoms except fever.  If you have a fever, that is more likely to be influenza and requires a visit to the doctor for Tamiflu a viable treatment for influenza.  Influenza can also lead to pneumonia, dangerous to many. 

For the common cold, bottom line... it takes time to recover from the virus.  In the words of my mother, “Three days coming, 3 days staying and 3 days going.” I’m only on my 5^th day.

 

WreckCheck

The National Association of Insurance Commisioners or NAIC has created an app.  Sounds like a yawn fest to you?  Well, in the insurance world, accidents happen.  When they do will you remember all the information you need to provide your insurance carrier?  Not always.  This app will help.

The App is called WreckCheck.  It is a mobile quetionnaire that can be filled out at the accident site along with pictures and emailed to your carrier or customer service agent.  If you are like me I am leary of any app I add.  This is a safe app to add to your smartphone. 

In an accident the information you need to provide the other driver is your name, your telephone number, and your insurance information including your agent's telephone number .  Do not let someone copy your driver's license or provide your home address to the other driver.  You can provide all that information to the police.  Identity theives and plain old theives have many scams to get your information auto accidents are one. 

After an accident do you call the police?  The answer is yes.  The police report can help facilate the insurance claim process.  If the other driver offers to take money not to report the claim do not give or agree to give anyone money.  You disrupt any insurance claim process and the other person will still present a claim to the insurance company. That too is another scam.

Accidents happen and the free app can help take some stress out of already stressful situation.  No smartphone?  http://www.insureuonline.org/auto_accident_checklist.pdf  download the brochure with the same information as the app and keep it in your car.

Had an auto accident? We got an app for that.

A Dreaded Job

It is harvest time at my house.  My small yet prolific garden has produced more Roma tomatoes than I can eat in a week.  It is time to take action. It is time to make tomato sauce.

 

I am a pasta-loving person.  I love all kinds of pasta.  I do not think there is any pasta that I will not eat.  My favorite topping for pasta is tomato sauce.  I love garlic and onions fried in cold press olive oil; the green olive oil is my favorite.  I mix slightly caramelized garlic and onions with fresh Roma tomatoes along with fresh basil.  That is all it takes to make a pasta dinner for me.  

 

This weekend I gathered all the ripe Roma tomatoes in my garden, washed, halved, and placed them in a pot over a low heat.  I had time so I sliced eggplant and placed those in a pot to soak in salt water for 4 hours to remove any bitterness eggplant can have.  In the meantime, I chopped up zucchini to make relish.  Harvest time is wonderful.

My husband thought the house smelled funny.  He is a meat kind of guy, while I am all veggies.  The liquid for the relish smelled of all the spices and vinegar.  He did not appreciate that smell.  I liked the house smelling of tomatoes, basil and relish spices.  Though I admit it did make our smoke detector shrill through the house, must have been all the aromas. 

Once the tomatoes were cooked and I stirred them for several minutes, I began to think.  I like fresh Roma tomatoes over pasta.  I do not remove the skins; I eat the skins.  Why can’t I use my submersible blender and see if it will make a smooth sauce?  Well, it worked.

I did not have to strain out the tomato seeds.  I did not have to play with all those tomato skins.  I am not a tidy cook.  I cook big and messy.  My kitchen mess from making 4 quarters of tomato sauce was minimal thank s to the submersible blender.  My experiment turned out terrific. 

 

This year, in the middle of winter when the snow is on the ground, I will pull out a jar of my sauce made from my fresh as sunshine Roma tomatoes, which was rather easy to make, pour it over a plate of pasta and manga.