CONTENTSISSUE 1 JUNE 2011

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Identity Theft Insurance

Long Term Care Insurance

Six Ways To Corral Runaway Medical Costs

10 Costly Return To Work Mistakes

Insurance

P. 01

P. 05

Is It Time To Work For Yourself

Setting Up Your Home-based Business

Lifestyle

P. 01

P. 05

Online Safety

Lawnmower Safety

Family

P. 01 Online Safety

Technology

P. 01 Feeling Better, Naturally

Health

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURESpring Tornadoes Are Generally the Most Severe...

Make sure you’reinsured!

THE GOOD NEWS: Wind related damage Is covered under standard homeowners and business policies05

ON THE COVERDo I need Rental Car Insurance?

Properly insuring a rental car can be confusing, frustrating and downright daunting.

WE CAN HELP!

01

DO I NEED SEPARATE

Insurance

RENTAL CARINSURANCE?PROPERLY INSURING A RENTAL CAR CAN BE CONFUSING,

FRUSTRATING AND DOWNRIGHT DAUNTING.

Unfortunately, many consumers do not even think about car rental insurance until they get to the coun-ter, which can result in costly mistakes—either wasting money by purchasing unnecessary coverage or having dangerous gaps in coverage.

Before renting a car, the I.I.I. suggests that you make two phone calls—one to your insurance agent or com-pany representative and another to the credit card com-pany you will be using to pay for the rental car.

INSURANCE COMPANYFind out how much coverage you currently have on your own car. In most cases, whatever coverage and de-ductibles you have on your own car would apply when you rent a car, providing you are using the car for recre-ation and not for business. If you have dropped either comprehensive or collision on your own car as a way to reduce costs, you will not

be covered if your rental car is stolen or damaged in an accident.

Check to see whether your insurance company pays for administrative fees, loss of use or towing charges. Some companies may provide an insurance rider to cover some of these costs, which would make it less expen-sive than purchasing coverage through the rental car company. Keep in mind, however, that in most states diminished value is not covered by insurers.

CREDIT CARD COMPANYInsurance benefits offered by credit card companies differ by both the company and/or the bank that is-sues the card, as well as by the level of credit card used. For instance, a platinum card may offer more insurance coverage than a gold card.

Credit cards usually cover only damage to or loss of the

rented vehicle, not for other cars, personal belongings or the property of others. There may be no personal li-ability coverage for bodily injury or death claims. Some credit card companies will provide coverage for tow-ing, but many may not provide for diminished value or administrative fees. Some credit card companies have changed their policies, too, so you may not have as much coverage as you thought.

To know exactly what type of insurance you have, call the toll-free number on the back of the card you will be using to rent the car. If you are depending on a credit card for insurance protection, ask the credit card com-pany or bank to send you their coverage information in writing. In most cases, credit card benefits are second-ary to either your personal insurance protection or the insurance offered by the rental car company.

If you have more than one credit card, consider calling each one to see which offers the best insurance protec-tion. AT THE RENTAL CAR COUNTERSince insurance is state regulated, the cost and coverage will vary from state to state. Consumers, however, can generally choose from the following coverages:

LOSS DAMAGE WAIVER (LDW)Also referred to as a collision damage waiver outside the U.S., an LDW is not technically an insurance prod-uct. LDWs do, however, relieve or “waive” renters of financial responsibility if their rental car is damaged or stolen. In most cases, waivers also provide coverage for “loss of use,” in the event the rental car company charges the renter for the time a damaged car can not be used because it is being fixed. It may also cover tow-

ing and administrative fees.

Waivers, however, may become void if the accident was caused by speeding, driving on unpaved roads or driv-ing while intoxicated. If you already have comprehen-sive and collision coverage on your own car, check with your personal auto insurer to make sure you are not du-plicating coverage you already have. Should you decide it is necessary, this coverage generally costs between $9 and $19 a day.

LIABILITY INSURANCEBy law, rental companies must provide the state re-quired amount of liability insurance. Generally, these amounts are low and do not provide much protection. If you have adequate amounts of liability protection on your own car, you may consider forgoing additional li-ability protection. If you want the supplemental insur-ance, it will cost between $7 and $14 a day.

An umbrella liability policy, however, may be more cost-effective. Umbrella liability insurance is so named because it acts like an umbrella, sitting on top of your auto and homeowners (or renters) liability policies to provide extra protection including accidents while driving your own car or one that you rent. These poli-cies, usually sold in increments of a million dollars, cost as little as $200 to $300 annually for a million dollars worth of coverage and another $50 to $100 for each additional million.

Those who do not own their own car and are frequent car renters, can also consider purchasing a non-owner liability policy. This not only provides liability protec-tion when you rent a car, but also when you borrow someone else’s car.

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PERSONAL ACCIDENT INSURANCEPersonal Accident Insurance offers coverage to you and your passengers for medical and ambulance bills for in-juries caused in a car crash. If you have adequate health insurance or are covered by personal injury protection under your own car insurance, you may not need this additional insurance. It usually costs about $1 to $5 a day.

PERSONAL EFFECTS COVERAGEPersonal Effects Coverage provides insurance protec-tion for the theft of items in your car. If you have a homeowners or renters insurance policy that includes off-premises theft coverage, you are generally covered for theft of your belongings away from home, minus the deductible. If you purchase this coverage through the rental car company, it generally costs between $1 and $4 a day.

If you frequently travel with expensive items such as jewelry, cameras, musical equipment or sports equip-ment, it may be more cost-effective to purchase a per-sonal articles floater under your homeowners or rent-ers insurance policy. With such a floater, your valuable items are protected at home as well as while traveling anywhere in the world and the coverage is broader. OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDERStates have minimum age requirements for renting a car and most major rental car companies refuse to rent a car to someone who is under 21 and in some cases under 25. In addition, some rental car companies now investigate your driving record and/or credit history so check with the rental car company before picking up the car.

If you are planning to rent a car abroad, contact both your insurance agent and travel agent to find out what you need to do to be properly insured. Those driving a rental car from the U.S. into Mexico may find it pro-gressively more difficult to rent a car as U.S. rental car companies are increasingly concerned about the ris-ing crime rates in that country. The minimum required insurance coverage to drive in Mexico is civil liability insurance which covers you in case you cause injury or damage. Your American liability insurance is not valid in Mexico for bodily injury, though some American insurance policies will cover you for physical dam-age—check with your agent or insurance company representative. You can also buy Mexican car insurance in several American border towns; there are generally several storefronts selling Mexican car insurance near the border.

Note: If you’re renting a car abroad, you may need an international drivers license.

SPRING TORNADOES ARE GENERALLY THE MOST SEVERE

MAKE SUREYOU’RE INSURED

Insurance

The tornadoes that swept through the Midwest, the Great Plains states and the South over the

past two weekends are a vivid reminder of the threat these windstorms pose to life and property, and the importance of having the right coverage, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.). Tornado season in the U.S. generally runs from April through July, but those that form in the spring tend to be more severe. Twisters often cause the most damage and loss of life in the densely populated southeastern states, and in the Great Plains states. “The recent devastation, spread across multiple states, demonstrates the need for everyone to pre-pare for severe weather events,” said Michael Barry, vice president of Media Relations for the I.I.I. “No matter where you live, you need to have the right amount, and type, of insurance in order to recover financially after a natural disaster.” A tornado is a violently rotating column of air ex-tending from a thunderstorm to the ground, and they can occur in almost every U.S. state. Although individual tornadoes are generally not as costly as hurricanes in terms of insured losses because they strike a more limited geographic area, they do oc-cur more frequently. About 1,200 tornadoes, with gusts of wind as high as 200 miles per hour, develop each year in the U.S. Tornado intensity is measured by the Fujita scale, which runs from 1 through 5, the higher number being the strongest. The scale is based on the maximum speed of three-second wind gusts. The tornado that hit Mapleton, Iowa on Saturday, April 9 damaged a substantial number of homes and businesses in that community. Meanwhile,

Merrill, Wisconsin, was hit by another tornado the next day, and also incurred extensive property dam-age. Three tornado related injuries were reported in central Wisconsin. At least three barns and one mobile home were adversely impacted by heavy winds in southeastern Minnesota on Sunday after-noon, April 10, as well, according to news accounts. The 10 states that saw the most tornadoes last year, in order of frequency, were Minnesota (145), Texas (105), Mississippi (100), Kansas (94), Oklahoma (84), Missouri (80), North Dakota (68), Wisconsin (68), Colorado (66), and Illinois (65). The number of U.S. tornadoes, and the fatalities they caused, rose in 2010 as compared with 2009. The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, reports that there were 1,282 tornadoes in the U.S. in 2010, up from 1,156 in 2009. Moreover, tornado related fatalities reached 45 in 2010 up from 21 deaths in 2009.

HAVING SUFFICIENT COVERAGEStandard homeowners and business insurance poli-cies cover wind damage, including that caused by tornadoes, to the structure of the building and its contents. However, you should make sure your cov-erage limits reflect the cost of rebuilding the struc-ture, and of fully replacing your personal belong-ings. Homeowners insurance policies also provide for ad-ditional living expenses (ALE). ALE coverage pays the costs of living away from home if you cannot inhabit your house due to damage from an insured disaster. The policy’s ALE provision covers hotel bills, restaurant meals and other living expenses in-curred while your home is being repaired or rebuilt.

WIND RELATED DAMAGE IS COVERED

UNDER STANDARD HOMEOWNERS & BUSINESS POLICIES

If you own a business that has been damaged, business income (also known as business interruption) insurance, covers the profits your business would have earned, based on your own financial records, had the disaster not occurred. This also covers additional operating ex-penses incurred as a result of the disaster, such as the extra expenses involved in operating out of a temporary location. Damage to cars from a tornado is covered under the optional comprehensive portion of a standard auto in-surance policy. The I.I.I. offers the following tips for preparing for, and dealing with, a tornado.

BEFORE A TORNADOIf a tornado watch has been issued, move cars inside a garage or carport to avoid damage from hail, which often accompanies tornadoes. Keep your car keys and house keys with you at all times. Move lawn furniture and yard equipment, such as lawnmowers, inside. Aside from being damaged themselves, such items can also act as dangerous projectiles, causing serious harm to nearby people and property. A tornado watch means that weather conditions are fa-vorable for tornadoes and a tornado warning means one has been spotted in your area. Be sure to always have an up-to-date inventory of your possessions and store it in a safe place, with at least one copy off the premises—in a safe deposit box, or with an online storage service. To help with this task, the I.I.I.’s free online home inven-tory software is available at KnowYourStuff.org. In addition, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) has information on How to Re-duce Risks from a Tornado and the Federal Emergency Management Administration has compiled a brochure on pre-tornado planning, Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room for Your Home or Small Business.

DURING A TORNADODo not open windows as you will put yourself at risk of injury from breaking glass. You also may make the damage to your home worse by giving wind and rain a greater chance of getting inside.

If you are in your car, abandon your vehicle and seek shelter in the nearest ditch if no other facility is avail-able. Do not get under a bridge or overpass. You are safer in a low, flat location. If you live in a mobile home, you should vacate the premises and seek shelter elsewhere.

AFTER A TORNADOThe I.I.I. offers the following advice to speed the insur-ance claims settlement process following a tornado:Be prepared to give your agent or insurance company representative a detailed description of the damage to your property. Your agent will report the loss to your insurance company or to a qualified adjuster who will contact you as soon as possible in order to arrange an inspection of the site.

If it is safe to access the area, take photographs of the damaged property. Visual documentation will help with the claims process and can assist the adjuster in the in-vestigation.

Prepare a detailed inventory of all damaged or destroyed personal property. Make two copies—one for yourself and one for the adjuster. Your list should be as complete as possible, including a description of the items, dates of purchase or approximate age, cost at time of purchase and estimated replacement cost.Collect canceled checks, invoices, receipts or other pa-pers that will assist the adjuster in obtaining the value of the destroyed property.

Make whatever temporary repairs you can. Cover bro-ken windows and damaged roofs and walls to prevent further destruction. Save the receipts for any supplies and materials you purchase as your insurance company will reimburse you for reasonable expenses in making temporary repairs.

Secure a detailed estimate for permanent repairs to your home or business from a licensed contractor and give it to the adjuster. The estimate should contain the pro-posed repairs, repair costs and replacement prices.If your home is severely damaged and you need to find other accommodations while repairs are being made, keep a record of all expenses, such as hotel and restau-rant receipts.

The computer is one of the most important inven-tions to have taken place in the 20th century,

which has grown over several decades contributing to the growth and changes in human learning and behavior. Today the computer is an essential part of human life without which they cannot do their day-to-day tasks.

This amazing machine has made life easier for most people and contributed to their overall growth. Today almost all household have at least one computer but the most important question that arises here is, if the owner is concerned about the proper maintenance of the machine or not.

Most people either fail or forget to properly maintain their computer from both internal and external threats that can seriously jeopardize the functioning of the machine. However, with just a few important tips you can effectively maintain your computer and can keep its functioning as good as ever.

Here are a few essential maintenance tips to keep your computer stable and in a perfect condition:

1 Perform a disk clean up for maintaining the speed of your computer. Running regular disk

clean up can clean your system of unnecessary data.

ESSENTIALThis step can be done manually or by running the disk cleanup utility in Windows.

2 Running a registry cleaning software can relieve your system from obsolete and corrupt entries

in the registry file. A clogged registry can severely hamper the performance of your system and can even cause it to crash. So, it is important to clean your Windows registry at regular intervals.

3 By using an Anti-Spyware program you can clean your system from malicious programs that

intend to steal your data and cause your system to clog.

4 Viruses are one of the most common and serious threat to computers and using a good updated

Anti-virus program will help your computer to rid itself from harmful viruses.

5 Lastly, you need to clear all un-important soft-ware installed on your computer as they cause a

lot of trouble during the Windows startup process and make the process a rather clumsy one.

By following these simple steps you can effectively shield your computer from all internal and external threats.

MAINTENANCE TIPSFOR YOUR COMPUTER