‘Tis the season of joy, shopping, and unfortunately cyber thievery. While millions of Americans will be looking online for Cyber Monday bargains, crooks will be trying to steal their money, personal information, and identity. It’s estimated that a person’s identity is stolen online every three seconds, in the United States.
So, how do you avoid the “bad Santa’s” lurking on the internet? To help keep this the most wonderful time of year, we’ve assembled these 10 tips from the Better Business Bureauand our identity theft prevention partner,CyberScout, to add to your holiday list:
Only shop on secure sites – look for “https” in the URL and a locked padlock symbol and avoid doing so on public WiFi
Install the latest security software to block the crooks
Never give personal information, especially social security numbers or passwords
Use a credit card, not a debit card, for payment (you might consider purchasing a prepaid gift card to use for online shopping)
Click out of suspicious links immediately (AVG has a free LinkScannerthat checks sites legitimacy for you)
Beware of Santa scammers who promise to send a letter to your child; often they are collecting personal data for ID theft
Don’t buy used electronics; many are preloaded with malware that can steal personal information and passwords
Avoid downloading online coupons sent to your email or from websites you are not sure of
Use unique passwords for every site
Don’t buy that cute puppy via the Internet – scammers use the holidays to take money for puppies that don’t exist, often using the ruse to get banking and personal information
The quicker you catch a possible breach, the better. Credit experts like CyberScout advise consumers to check their credit card and bank statements weekly, request a receipt for any purchase you make and run a free credit check annually.
California Casualty wants to make sure your identity stays safe from online Grinches; every auto and home/renters insurance policy comes with Free ID theft protection and resolution services from CyberScout. Make sure to protect your property and identity this holiday, call a California Casualty advisor today at 1.800.800.9410, or visit www.calcas.com/identity-theft.
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This article furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.800.800.9410 or www.calcas.com.
Having a good parent-teacher relationship is vital for helping the year go smoothly, especially in the middle of the school year. Here are eight things teachers wish you knew and would tell parents if they could, but usually don’t.
Attending meetings and conferences helps both of us.
There could be new policies and procedures to explain, or just a chance to talk about what a teacher is seeing in the classroom compared to the child at home. If you miss out you might miss important information, or what sort of homework/schedule to expect.
If your kid is having a bad morning or week, let me know.
You don’t have to go into detail, but it can make it much easier if your child’s teacher knows your little one might be feeling a little bit off.
I can tell when your child isn’t getting enough sleep.
Educators are noticing that kids just don’t have bedtimes like they used to. Letting your child stay up too late watching TV or playing on the computer can have an effect on their learning and on the classroom.
I buy school supplies with my own money for a reason.
Yes, it’s a sad truth; many schools just don’t provide teachers with the budgets or supplies they need for their classrooms. Take care not to lose that sturdy folder (filled with helpful memos) that the teacher sends home with your kid every day. Also, if he or she asks you to chip in for supplies, do what you can.
If you have young children, don’t trust them to tell you everything that happens at school.
Check their backpacks for homework assignments, permission slips or notes home. Take advantage of parent-teacher conferences to get some undivided time with the teacher.
When your child gets older, it doesn’t mean you can start being less involved.
In high school and middle school, you might be tempted to ease off the gas when it comes to checking in on what your child does at school. But teachers report that setting a positive example, and taking interest in your kid’s education, is still critical in the later years.
I work on the weekends.
If you still believe that teaching is a part-time job, educators would like to remind you that they regularly put in extra-long days and catch-up on classroom prep on the weekend. teachers wish you knew
You can ask me anything.
If there’s one thing teachers want from their students’ parents, it’s more communication. Teachers view education as a collaborative process between them and the parent. So, if you have a question or concern, definitely speak up! The clearer you are with each other, the easier and more productive the year will be.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
You may believe that everything in or around your home is covered by your homeowner’s policy, but that may not be the case. Sure home insurance will help you rebuild if there’s a fire, tornado. or a tree falls onto your home, but are you aware of what your insurance doesn’t cover?
As landslides and earthquakes have become more common in many states, many people are surprised to learn that earthquake or land movement damage is not covered by standard homeowners insurance. You need to purchase separate earthquake and landslide insurance protection.
Floods
Multiple surveys have found a majority of homeowners and renters thought their property insurance protected them from flooding; it doesn’t. If you live in an area prone to flooding, consider purchasing flood insurance, provided primarily by the federal government. Keep in mind there is a 30 day waiting period before any flood policy can go into effect.
Sewer Backups
The sludge from sewer backup can do serious damage and make your home unsafe until it’s properly cleaned up, but it’s not covered under most homeowner insurance policies. Your insurance company can provide a special endorsement to cover sewer or sump pump backups. What you may not know is that homeowners are responsible for the maintenance of sewer and water lines through their property up to the sewer main, and many cities and utility departments will deny responsibility for most sewer incidents.
Maintenance Issues
Insurance companies can dispute payment of damage or injuries if you fail to repair a broken step or other obvious hazards, or for mechanical breakdown of an appliance. In most cases, you will also need a special rider to cover food that might be lost due to a power outage or failure of a freezer or refrigerator.
Expensive Jewelry, Fine Art, Firearms, Musical Instruments, Furs, and Collectibles
Many people learn after a fire or tornado that their precious items only had minimal coverage. You’ll need special scheduled personal property coverage, often called a “floater,” to make sure they are protected for their full value. In fact, 60 percent of homeowners have not documented all the valuable things they own. What does that mean to you? Completing a home inventory can speed up your claim and help you determine how much coverage you need. Download our easyHome Maintenance Checklist, and stay prepared for a disaster before it’s too late.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Join 8-year old Journey for a special behind the scenes look in to a day in the life of a Firefighter. Watch as he learns why fire stations have sleeping quarters. See what happens when a call comes in – even at 2 in the morning. Plus, find out how heavy fire gear really is.
As a special bonus, check out Journey demonstrate his dynamic STOP, DROP and ROLL moves!
We’d like to extend an extra special thanks to the Firefighters and Police Officers who took the time to participate in our Heroes Video Series. It was a privilege to experience a day in your lives through the eyes of Giselle, Jayden and Journey! We appreciate your dedication and all you do to strengthen and enhance the quality of life in American communities. The Heroes Video Series was filmed and produced by Wide Awake Films. If you’re not already following California Casualty, you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube and LinkedIn. At California Casualty, our mission is to provide trusted, personalized auto and home insurance protection. exclusively for educators, law enforcement, nurses and firefighters—those who protect, strengthen and enhance the quality of life in American communities.
Did you know there is actually a way to save money on your insurance policy?
These 10 Auto Insurance Tips could help you save and keep more money in your pocket each month:
Combine your insurance.
Insurance companies like California Casualty offer discounts when your home or renters insurance is combined with your auto insurance.
Increase your deductibles.
Sure, the amount you will pay will be a little more if something happens to your vehicle, but the amount you’ll save each month could add up to much more, especially if you are incident-free for a number of years. Just make sure you have an emergency fund to cover that higher deductible.
Check for good driver/good student discounts.
Speaking of incident-free, when’s the last time you had an accident or a moving violation. Most insurance companies will give you a good driver discount, but make sure you tell them. The same goes for students who get good grades.
Take a defensive driving course.
When’s the last time you refreshed your skills? You may qualify for a discount after showing proof that you have completed a safe driving program.
Check insurance costs when buying a new vehicle.
Many vehicles will cost you less; others will increase your premiums. It depends on numerous criteria from the power of the engine, its safety rating and the loss history of the vehicle.
Clean up your credit.
Many companies look at your credit score and how well you do in paying your bills. The better your credit score, the better rate you are likely to receive. Clean credit also helps when you want to buy a new car, rent or buy a home, etc.
Cut your driving.
Ride a bike, join a carpool or move closer to work. How many miles you drive each year can affect your rates; the less you drive, the greater the possible discount.
Pay your premium in full each year.
Not only can you get a discount but you will avoid monthly service charges.
Get a policy review.
Has your commute changed? Did you install a security device? Did you get married? All of these can lower your rates. Talking with your insurance advisor at least once a year is the best way to make sure you get the discounts you’re entitled to. Follow this insurance coverage checklist.
Compare your current insurance to California Casualty.
We are pretty certain that when you stop and compare benefits and prices, California Casualty will be right there with the best of them. Why? We are a 100-year-old, policyholder owned company that provides auto and home insurance to educators, firefighters, LEOs and nurses with exclusive benefits not available to the general public.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
