Student Pilot Insurance Makes for Happy Landings

 By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

If you or someone you know is considering getting their private pilot's license, there are a few things you won't learn from a flight school.  While a flight instructor can teach you many things, one of the things that are not usually covered in your education is the liability you incur the moment you take control of a rented light plane.  While you may correctly assume that the operator of a flight school is covered by insurance for incidents involving their aircraft, what you probably don't realize is that their coverage doesn't extend to you.  Before you sign up for flight lessons, there are a few things you need to know.

The Dog Ate My Home

 By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

If you own a dog or a cat, you know they sometimes misbehave.  If they aren't stealing scraps of food from the table, they're leaving you little smelly presents on the floor. Sometimes they like to chew on everything from your slippers to electrical cords and furniture.  Large dogs have been known to chew holes through sheetrock or wooden doors.  That's not to mention the kind of mayhem a wild animal can cause if one gets trapped in your garage or decides to move into your attic.  In short, the damage animals can inflict on a home can be substantial.  If you ever wondered what kind of animal damage is and isn't covered by homeowner's insurance, you've come to the right place.  

What Does it Really Cost to Own a New Car?

 By Catherine Powell

There’s nothing like owning a new car.  If you're considering buying one soon, you really owe it to yourself to understand the total cost the vehicle will represent during its lifetime.  With an average cost of $45,031 in 2021, the first time in history the price has exceeded $45,000, the sticker shock of ownership isn't something for the faint of heart these days.  But this is only the tip of the iceberg in what to many folks is the second-highest monthly expense they'll pay after rent or mortgage.  If you don't want your next ride to take you for a ride, there are a few things you need to know before you drive off the dealer lot.

12 Ways to Save on Homeowner's Insurance

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

You’ve heard of the twelve days of Christmas, right?  If you’re like me, you’ve probably already started your holiday shopping.  That means creating debt at the end of the year that you’ll need to pay off next year.  To help you put a little more ho, ho, ho in the holidays, I thought I’d show you how to can get some jingle back in your jeans by employing twelve different ways to save money on homeowner’s insurance.

Holiday Travel Tips

By Catherine Powell

      Now that Halloween has come and gone, it’s that time of year when the holidays kick into overdrive as we prepare to travel to be with our loved ones.  If you’re preparing to take an airline flight between now and the New Year, there are some things you need to know if you want to reduce the stresses of traveling to and from your destination.  Below are ten tips to help you get where you’re going without gritting your teeth. 

Is Paying Cyber Ransom a Crime?

 By Catherine Powell

As scary as having hackers demand you pay a cyber ransom or have your data destroyed, what's even scarier is the act of paying up could put you in Dutch with federal law.  As of October 2020, the US Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) made it illegal to pay hackers a ransom. That's right, if you're found in violation of either the Trading With the Enemy Act or the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, you could face stiff penalties including fines and/or jail.  What's even more alarming is that the very banks you do business with are required to file a Suspicious Activity Report should an individual or company be suspected of attempting to move funds of $5,000 or more that could be potentially used to pay hackers a ransom.  

Does Your Business Need Cyber Insurance?

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

You can't watch the news, read a business magazine or peruse a newsfeed without learning about a new cyber-attack.  You'll either find that another form of malware has reared its ugly head or you'll learn that another Fortune 500 Company has been hacked.  Sorry to say it, but cyber liability has not only reached epidemic proportions,  it doesn't just effect big businesses.  In 2020, the average cost to small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) whose computers were infected with viruses and malware was $68,000 per incident.  Targeted attacks cost the average business $188,000 to mitigate.  What's even worse is that 70% of all cyber attacks in 2020 targeted SMBs.  That's because they're easier to breach with off-the-shelf hacking tools.  (That's right, hackers can buy sophisticated hacking software on the Dark Web.) If you own a business and are tired of losing sleep over the possibility of being hacked, here's what you need to know.