You’re running late. Construction traffic is making things worse. Then, an SUV
cuts you off, nearly clipping your bumper. What’s your reaction? Many drivers
suffer negative consequences when road rage rears its ugly head.

One of those consequences is insurance costs. Did you know that damage or
liability that results from aggressive driving isn’t typically covered by your auto
insurance policy? If it is determined that you caused the damage with “risky
behavior,” you may pay for it in repairs and increased premiums. To avoid these
costs (and the road rage that leads to them), use the following tips:

Slow and steady wins the race. Give yourself extra time to get to your destination.
Patience runs short when you’re in a hurry.

Let it roll off. Many times, other drivers are clueless about what they’ve done.
They might be lost, affected by sun glare, or oblivious to how their driving has
affected you. Don’t take it personally.

Keep your distance. When you get stuck behind a slow driver, don’t succumb to
the temptation to tailgate. If they stop, the resulting rear-end collision will be
deemed your fault.

Lay off the horn. Reserve honking for emergency situations. It’s designed as a
warning sound, not an aggression valve. Insistent honking only annoys, startles,
and stresses other drivers and leads to more aggressive behavior.

Remain nonconfrontational. Don’t stop to confront other drivers. Additionally, if
other drivers are demonstrating road rage behaviors, try to put distance between
your vehicles. Don’t engage with the drivers in any way. Always put your safety
first.

Please Note These Important Healthcare Deadlines!

Age 65 and over? Open
enrollment for Medicare began
on October 15 and ends on
December 7.

Under 65? Open enrollment for
the Affordable Care Act is from
November 1 to December 15.

Please contact us right away to
discuss your health insurance
needs. Go to
https://meetme.so/Brittany to
schedule a consultation.

How to Save on Your Cell Phone Upgrade

From Samsung’s Galaxy Note9 to Apple’s iPhone XS, there’s no shortage of options for anyone looking to buy a new phone. But as technology evolves and smartphones get smarter, the price tags on these devices continue to skyrocket.

Before you part with your hard-earned cash in order to upgrade your phone, make sure you follow these money-saving tips.

Out with the old

The easiest way to save coins on your new phone purchase is to trade in your old phone. In recent years, most wireless carriers and retailers have improved and expanded their trade-in programs to make the process smoother for customers. Best Buy, for example, offers a gift credit in exchange for most used devices, including smartphones, tablets, and even video game hardware. Once you’ve traded in your old device, you can use the gift credit toward your new phone.

Sell the old

Another option is to sell your device directly to another person, who may pay more for your phone than a trade-in program would. There are a number of sites to help facilitate your sale, including eBay and Swappa. That being said, make sure you prepare for the peskier buyers who ask endless questions or waffle on sending your payment.

In with the old

The best way to save money, though, might not be the most desirable: Skip the upgrade altogether. If your phone is still working but is just a little slow, there are ways to help speed things up, like replacing your device’s battery or clearing out storage. You might not have the flashiest device this way, but the savings can make up for it.

Deck the Office Halls… and Avoid Damage

 A little festive cheer can boost office morale and make surroundings more appealing to employees and customers. With this in mind, many businesses decorate for the holidays; however, it’s important to also keep safety in mind. Unsafe decorating practices can lead to personal injury or property damage. To avoid these disasters and the ensuing claims, use the following precautions:

The gift of gravity: Don’t take chances when stringing lights on doorways or windows. Rolling office chairs do not make good step stools. Always use a stable, well-positioned ladder to reach decorative heights.

A sprinkling of good cheer: As you decorate, it might be tempting to hang items from sprinkler heads. Don’t do it. The decorations can prevent the system from working properly.
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire: Do you plan to plug in lights or other electrical décor? Inspect all cords before using them. If any items have frayed cords, exposed wiring, or damaged prongs, do not use them. These pose a fire hazard.

An extended holiday: If you need to use extension cords for your decorations, be careful about placement. Avoid stringing these cords in high-traffic areas or under rugs, as they can create a tripping hazard.

Stuffed with goodies: Be careful not to overload circuits when powering electrical decorations. You may cause shorts that damage office equipment or cause overheating that starts a fire.

To all a good night: Put a system in place to ensure all indoor and outdoor electrical decorations are turned off at the end of the day or before everyone leaves the building.

When Was the Last Time You Reviewed Your Insurance Policies?

Life changes for all of us..

Marriage/Baby/New Home, Auto, Boat, or Maybe a New Job?????

Do you have enough insurance to meet you, and your family’s needs now and in the future?

If you don’t, you are putting yourself at risk of serious financial troubles if something goes wrong with your health, your home, your job or your finances.

That’s why we are offering you a free, no-obligation “POLICY REVIEW” to make sure your insurance needs are adequately covered.

We won’t try to push you into buying insurance you don’t need and we won’t waste your time. We’ll just give you the honest facts about your current insurance status.

Just give our office a call at 772-546-7292 to arrange an appointment for a no-fuss, professional consultation.

Worth Reading

How to Create a Homework Space

By Amanda Knoles

Education.com

If you want to help your children become better students, consider creating a designated homework spot. You don’t need to turn an entire room into a classroom. This article contains tips about how to turn closets, hallways, and even walls into study spaces. Remember to keep the area free of distractions, especially smartphones and televisions. Involve your children, too. Homework may not always be enjoyable, but creating a space to do it can be fun. More: https://tinyurl.com/worth10181.

51 Simple Holiday Decorating Tips

By Lucy Fitzgerald

Traditionalhome.com

The tips in this slideshow can take the stress out of holiday decorating. Some involve traditional holiday décor, like evergreen and candy canes. Other suggestions include rearranging your usual holiday decorations, like placing ornaments in decorative glasses. But not everything has to be completely new for the holidays. It can be just as effective to use your house’s current colors to inspire holiday decor. Read this list for ideas: https://tinyurl.com/worth10182.

Four Tips to Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions

Alexandra Kay

RealSimple.com

Keeping a New Year’s resolution is possible. Half of the people who make these goals still stick to them six months later. Some basic strategies provided in this article can help. If you’re looking for advice tailored to specific resolutions, this piece offers links to tips for maintaining goals about relationships, health, work, and money: https://tinyurl.com/worth10183.

Does My Insurance Cover Every Catastrophe?

A standard homeowner’s insurance policy covers damages and losses to your property and possessions. It also provides liability coverage to protect you if an accident occurs on your property.

Does this coverage include every catastrophe that could devastate your home?

No. Two disasters in particular are not typically covered by a traditional homeowner’s policy.

The first is earthquakes. These disasters are usually excluded from homeowners’ insurance policies.

To obtain coverage for damage due to earthquakes, you will need to take out a special earthquake policy or add a rider. These often feature a percentage deductible rather than a dollar amount. If you’re not in an area that is prone to earthquakes, don’t stress too much over this coverage. You can probably skip it.

The second catastrophe that is often excluded is flooding. If your property is located in a flood zone, this fact was probably disclosed to you when you purchased the property. It’s common for mortgage lenders to require flood insurance.

If you’re unsure about your property’s flood-zone status, contact your local government office to determine if your home is in a flood zone. If it is, you will need separate flood insurance. Your insurance carrier may provide this, or you may need to contact the National Flood Insurance Program.

And a third situation has become a more prevalent concern in recent years. Homeowners may wonder if terrorist attacks are covered under their policies.

While most policies don’t mention terrorist attacks specifically under the covered conditions, they also don’t exclude them. Since most policies cover damages caused by fire, smoke, and explosions, terrorist acts are typically covered.

If you’re unsure about your coverage for a specific situation, contact your insurance agent to review your policy. Year end is a good time to review your coverage and determine if you should make any changes to meet your current insurance needs.

Wrap Up the Holidays in a New Way

Wrapping holiday gifts shouldn’t take as long as choosing the present. Nor should the paper cost as much as the gift it hides.

With the holidays nearly here and the wrapping of gifts on the horizon, you might want to get creative about how to wrap your gifts this year. And while you’re being thoughtful of friends and family, you can be kind to the earth, too. Think recyclable.

Instead of expensive wrapping paper, how about using a large roll of craft paper? Whether it’s the traditional brown or the attractively modern black, tie it up with butcher’s string and paint directly on it or decorate the package with cookies hanging from the bow. You might try hand-printing the paper by using doilies as stencils and spray painting them to create a wonderful, original design.

Recyclable shopping bags make great gift containers, and they generally cost far less than throwaway paper. Grocery bags decorated with twigs, confetti, or crepe paper ribbons also work well, especially for those hard-to-wrap shapes.

Newspaper and old maps also make fun and creative gift wrap. Finished with a colorful bow or silver cupcake liners gathered into a flower, your gift will show you really care.

Bake Like a Pro This Season

Nothing says happy holidays better than home-baked goodies. And with the holiday season upon us, it’s time to roll out the rolling pin.

The best thing about baking is that anyone can do it. Simply follow the recipe exactly as written and you too can bake like a pro. It’s chemistry!

Should you want to put your skills to the test, here are a few simple tips to keep in mind:

Ingredients: Use ingredients at room temperature. Choose large eggs, unsalted butter, and whole milk, unless the recipe says otherwise.

Equipment: Keep cakes from sticking with high-quality pans. Keep cookies from sticking with parchment paper or shiny cookie sheets.

Achieving perfection: Combine ingredients only until they are blended and not a second more.

Worth Quoting
This month, some famous quotes about the new year:

Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, “It will be happier.”

Alfred Lord Tennyson

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Each age has deemed the newborn year the fittest time for festal cheer.

Walter Scott

And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.

Rainer Maria Rilke

Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.

Benjamin Franklin

New Year’s Day is every man’s birthday.

Charles Lamb