How Umbrella Insurance Can Turn a Frown Upside Down

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy pxfuel

In Florida they say it never rains but it pours.  And when the precipitation is coming down in sheets, an umbrella can be worth its weight in gold.  Just as an umbrella helps protect you from inclement weather, there is an insurance product called an umbrella policy that’s designed to keep all kinds of unpleasant things from raining down on you.  In today’s blog, I’ll tell you what makes umbrella policies tick and how you can use them to bolster your existing insurance coverage.

Perfecting Your Pool’s Protection

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy pxfuel

They say some like it hot.  But if that’s the case, then the people who say it probably weren’t in Florida in July and August.  Between the heat and the humidity, both of which hover in the mid-90’s for weeks on end, most of the residents and tourists brave enough to venture outdoors in the Sunshine State during the dog days only do so to go from the comfort of their air conditioned car or an air conditioned mall.  The only exception to this rule is when they dive into the surf or the cool comfort of a swimming pool.  If you own a pool or are considering adding one to your property, there are a few things you need to know if you want to keep your pool from becoming a bottomless pit for lawsuits.

How to Protect Your Identity While on Vacation

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy flickr

It’s that time of year again when the summer heat is on and all we Floridians dream of traveling to cooler climes, if even only for a week or so.  Before you book that trip and pack those bags, there are a few things you need to know if you don’t want to wind up making a criminal’s day by giving them easy access to your credit cards and other financial information.  Below are ten tips that can help you cover your assets whenever you travel near or far. 

Do You Have the Auto Insurance Blues?

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy pxfuel

If you own or lease a car you undoubtedly have auto insurance.  That’s because every state in the Union with the exception of New Hampshire requires residents to carry auto insurance.  In fact, if you’re found to be operating a motor vehicle without insurance coverage, the penalties can range from $150-$1,500 depending on the state in which you live.  While many motorists complain about the high price of auto insurance, think of what would happen were they not covered. If they were involved in an at-fault accident, they would not only be required to cover the damages incurred by the driver of the other vehicle, they’d also open themselves up to lawsuits by any passengers who were in either vehicle.  When you consider the fact that the average cost of auto insurance in the US is $1,416 in 2020, that’s a small price to pay to secure peace of mind that should you be involved in an auto accident, the costs won’t bankrupt you.  Still, if you want to reduce the bite that auto insurance takes out of your wallet, there are a few things you can do that won’t water down your coverage.

Is New Car Replacement Coverage Worth It?

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy flickr

There’s nothing like owning a new car.  That new car smell, the cutting-edge technology, and the pride of ownership are things that are bound to get your pulse racing almost as fast as redlining the engine.  And why not?  With an average cost of $31,455 in 2018, buying a new car is as expensive as buying a house was to many of our parents.  Of course, back before the turn of the century the most high-tech piece of hardware in most cars was a cd-player.  Now vehicles come equipped from the factory with everything from satellite radio and GPS to touchscreens and backup cameras.   With that kind of investment, you want to make sure that your pride and joy is protected from any foreseeable damage, as well as being able to replace your new car with a similar make and model should it get totaled.

Pulling Off the Perfect Staycation

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy flickr

If you’re like most Americans, cabin fever has set in with a vengeance after two months of being cooped up with your family.  So, why am I writing a blog dedicated to glorifying staycations?  That’s because there’s a difference between loving and hating the greet indoors.  While a lot of you are still working from home, which forces many to deal with the distractions of kids cavorting in the background, there’s a way to keep from going off the deep end when you’re forced to spend most of your time indoors with the family.  The trick to turning Club Dread into Club Med is to understand the difference between family activities and forced labor. 

It Isn't Easy Going Green

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy flickr

While everyone is still focused on the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, this week I thought I’d change the channel to something that could do the entire planet some good.  That’s because while the headlines have been screaming Coronavirus for the past month, many people missed the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day that occurred on April 22.  Started in 1970, Earth Day was used as a rallying cry for people from around the world to stem the degradation of the fragile planet upon which we all live.  In a strange way, the COVID-19 crisis has done its part to assist Earth Day 2020 by forcing the eight billion people who populate Planet Earth to drive less, which has noticeably improved the air quality globally.  Below are five milestones that Earth Day has achieved as well as a few ways in which we can all reduce our carbon footprint so our grandchildren will be able to enjoy the one 100^th anniversary of this perennial environmental movement.