2006 Hurricane Season Alert: 4 to 6 Major Hurricanes Predicted
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May 30, 2006 | By: | 
Comments (0)The 2006 hurricane season officially commences June 1 and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expects another above-normal tropical storm season in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico this year. NOAA is predicting 13 to 16 named storms, with 8 to10 becoming hurricanes, of which 4 to 6 could escalate to hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher.
As we are still recovering as a nation from the devastation that Hurricane Katrina brought us, homeowners must learn from history and prepare accordingly to ensure they are adequately insured against the immediate and secondary threats caused by natural disasters.
Homeowners Insurance and Natural Disasters
The most common mistakes homeowners make with regard to their is to undervalue their home and possessions. Experts estimate that 60 percent of homes in the U.S. are underinsured. Many people do not insure their home to its full replacement cost value. Remember, the full replacement cost value is how much it would cost to rebuild the house on the land it sits on now -- not the value for which you could sell your house today.
Further, many homeowners do not report home improvements or new items in their home inventory to their insurance agent and increase their coverage accordingly. It's very important to keep an up-to-date home inventory list so that you can adjust your coverage to protect these items, and to report home improvements to your agent or insurance company representative as soon as they are completed.
Depending on location, and proximity to possible natural disasters, homeowners should consider additional insurance coverage that specifically covers damage caused by floods, earthquakes, wildfires, and other natural threats. Standard policies generally cover natural disaster calamity caused by wind or wind-driven rain. Many homeowners learned too late after their homes were affected by the floods that followed Hurricane Katrina--after the New Orleans levees broke. Homeowners were stranded without coverage, because their policies did not include the additional flood insurance.
Prepare Now Check with your insurance carrier or agent now rather than later and make sure you have adequate coverage for your personal situation, and that your home value and inventory are up-to-date. You should check in with your agent on your policy at least once a year, or after any major renovations or purchases. Also check with your agent or company representative about whether you should purchase additional polices such as flood or earthquake insurance.
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Automotive Spring Tune-ups: Save Gas and Prevent Accidents
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Spring is here and summer is around the corner. Just like your home needs a spring cleaning, your car may need the same attention with a seasonal tune-up. Cars take a lot of abuse in the winter with rain, snow, ice and extremely cold weather. Performing a spring tune-up will give you a safer, more reliable car, and even help you squeeze a few more miles out of each gallon of gasoline.
Gas prices are hitting record highs. While we can't do anything about the actual price of gas, we can keep our cars running efficiently to maximize the distance we get out of every gallon. Some mechanics estimate that a poorly tuned engine can use up to 50 percent more gas than one that is running well. In fact, according to the National Car Care Council (carcare.org), if you combine under-inflated tires, a dirty air filter, worn spark plugs, a worn oxygen sensor, dirty oil, and a loose gas cap, you could be loosing up to 11.4 miles per gallon of gas.
Condition: Gas Penalty (mpg)
Under-inflated Tires: gas penalty of 1-2 mpg
Dirty Air Filter: gas penalty of 2.0 mpg
Worn Spark Plugs: gas penalty of 2.0 mpg
Worn Oxygen Sensor: gas penalty of 3.0 mpg
Dirty or Substandard Engine Oil: gas penalty of .4 mpg
Loose Gas Cap: gas penalty of 2.0 mpg
Total potential loss in fuel economy if all of the above are neglected: 11.4 mpg
If you are unable to take your car to a reputable mechanic, you should at the very least check your car's fluids, belts and hoses, and tires. In regards to your car's fluids, you should inspect your oil, antifreeze, brake, transmission, and power steering fluid levels. Check your engine's hoses and belts for wear and tear as they can affect the electrical system, air conditioning, power steering, and the engine's cooling system. Car tires should be inspected regularly for proper inflation and tread wear. The steering alignment may need adjustment if your tires have uneven tread wear. If you notice bald spots and bulges, you need to have your tires replaced immediately.
The most valuable benefit of a spring car maintenance check-up is that it may prevent you from getting in an accident. The National Car Care Council reports that vehicle maintenance negligence is responsible for more than 2,600 deaths and nearly 100,000 disabling injuries every year in the United States.
Now is the time to make sure your car was not damaged by last winter's weather conditions and weekend ski trips up to the mountains. You'll be safer, you'll save money on gas, and your car will be reliable when you take your next summer vacation road trip.
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Planning a Summer Vacation? Burglarproof Your Home Before You Travel
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As the summer vacation months return, and you plan your next vacation, take five minutes to review these simple, yet often overlooked home safety practices that deter burglars from breaking into your house. Your home will appear to be lived in whether you are away for only a weekend or for weeks at a time.
Make Your Home Appear to be Lived-in
Install automatic timers to turn lights and radios on and off at appropriate times. Ask a friend or neighbor to pick up your mail, or have it forwarded it to the post office. Contact your local newspaper to stop delivery and consider having someone mow your lawn and water the flowers. Lower the sound of your telephone and answering machine so they cannot be heard from outside and make sure your voicemail message does not imply that you are away.
Give a Neighbor a Spare Key Leave a key with a trusted neighbor in case anything happens to your house while you are away, or in case you get locked out. It's usually not a good idea to leave a key hidden outside your house, especially in more urban areas.
Protect Your House Keys
Don't give repairmen a key, and don't give people fixing your car your whole set of keys. Your house keys can be easily duplicated and your address can usually be obtained from your license plate number.
Change Your Locks
It is usually a good idea to change the locks on your new home when you move in. You never know who might have keys to your house. If your new home does not have deadbolts on all ground-level doors, consider installing them. If a sliding glass door is easily accessible, it is a good idea to put a strip of wood in the lower tract.
Consider Installing an Alarm
You may also want to install an alarm if the house doesn't already have one. If you move into a new house with an alarm, make sure you get accurate (written) directions on how to operate it.
Lock Doors And Windows
Keep your doors locked, even if you step out for just a few minutes. Especially remember to lock all doors at night and when you go on vacation. Similarly, keep your windows locked. Check that all windows have locks when you move into a new house. If they don't, install them or replace the window.
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Think You Don't Need Life Insurance? Think Again!
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Many people in certain stages of life think they do not need life insurance coverage. This blog posting attempts to dispel certain misconceptions about circumstances where consumers think they don't need protection, but actually may. If you're single or married with no children, or even if you're retired, you should absolutely consider shopping for
Already Have Coverage Through Work?
Employees pay premiums for employer-sponsored health coverage based on risk profiles that take into account factors such as the age and health of the entire group. That system can extend to life insurance as well. If you have a job, is your employer's life insurance program the best deal around? Not necessarily!
Are You Single?
If you are single and do not own a home, your life insurance needs are probably not as high as they are at other stages of your life. But, what you do need to consider is whether anyone relies on your income. If you are single, who would assume the burden of paying for your final costs if you were to pass away? This may fall to your parents, who have hopefully planned well for their retirement but are also likely to be living on a fixed income, one which does not take into account the possibility of you passing away before them.
Single women, especially, often lack adequate life insurance coverage. Some studies show that as much as 64 percent of American women carry no life insurance. Many single women, especially those with children, may be on a tighter budget than dual-income couples, and as such, feel they can't afford life insurance. However, they may be surprised to find out that a 25 year old healthy woman can purchase a $200,000 10-year term life insurance policy for under $13.00 a month (even lower than their male counterparts, as women are more likely to live longer, which lowers their life insurance costs).
If you are a healthy 45 year old, that does not mean it is too late to buy affordable life insurance; your cost for the same policy as above would only be about $19.00 a month. If you have kids, it is especially important to make sure they will be taken care of if anything were to happen to you. Especially since term life insurance is so affordable.
Are You Married, But Have No Children?
If you are married, but have no children, you may also think you don't need life insurance coverage. It is still important to think about whether your spouse would be able to cover all costs if you were to pass away, especially if you own property or have large debts to pay off. If you do eventually decide to have children, try to remember to reevaluate your life insurance needs before your children are born, that way the father is insured in case anything were to happen to the mother in childbirth, and you will both be covered if anything were to happen to either of you as your children grow up.
Are You Retired
Life insurance needs may not be as high as they are at other stages in life for those that are newly retired. But, it is also true that most new retirees do need to think about maintaining an adequate level of coverage. Consider your children or spouse you may leave behind. Even though your children may be grown and on their own, and your spouse may be able to live comfortably on his or her retirement savings, there are many special circumstances in which they may find themselves in financial trouble if you were to pass, or vice versa. If you are very ill before you pass away, you may incur significant health costs, many of which may be passed on to your spouse or children if you pass away.
Many seniors may have to live with a child if they are on their own and need help, and this may put a financial burden on the affected family members. There are also funeral costs to consider. It is important to ensure that your family members can recoup any financial losses after you pass away.
Term life insurance coverage is to protect you and your loved ones in the unfortunate circumstance that you pass away. Make sure anyone who relies on your income is covered, or that any debts you may possess will not be passed on to loved ones. Term life insurance is an affordable way to cover your needs at any stage of life, and offers the added benefit of letting you choose your coverage amount and term length.
Quotes based on a composite of participating carriers, which have at least an A- rating by A.M. Best. Rates effective as of 2/22/2006.
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