Odds are you or someone you know is getting married. June through September is the peak of the wedding season in the United States. Every year, 2.1 million couples tie the knot, which breaks down to nearly 6,000 weddings a day. But what happens if the groom gets food poisoning the night before the wedding or a fire burns down the reception hall? Believe it or not, there is insurance for that.
Wedding insurance typically runs from $155 to $550 dollars, depending on how elaborate your special plans might be. It covers the cost to reschedule the nuptials due to weather, injury, the wedding dress or tuxedos not showing up, the failure of a caterer, or if the location is unable to host your event. You can also insure the wedding rings, presents and the photographs.
Is wedding insurance worth it? One provider researched claims filed between 2011 and 2015 and found:
Problems with vendors (venue went bankrupt, photographers failing to deliver and DJs not showing up) accounted for 30 percent of payments
Illness and injury resulted in 29 percent of the claims
Weather issues caused 16 percent of the cancelations
Military deployment was the cause for 10 percent
The good news is that once the rings are exchanged and the honeymoon is over, there are important insurance decisions to make, some that could save you money.
Marriage Discount
Most auto and home insurance companies offer discounts for newlyweds. This applies to both men and women; however, men under the age of 25 see the biggest savings since they are usually considered high risk drivers. The lower rates can also apply to those in domestic partnerships.
Combining Autos
If you both have separate cars with different insurance companies, now that you are married you can save money by putting both vehicles on the same policy. Most insurance companies give discounts for multiple vehicles. It will also ensure that both drivers are covered no matter which car they use. You can find more savings by bundling your auto with your homeowners or renters insurance.
Increase Homeowner or Renters Coverage
You didn’t buy them, but all those wedding presents are valuable. You now have a new set of china, expensive new appliances and other things for your home. These assets need to be covered. Talk to an insurance advisor to make sure you have enough coverage to protect all the things you own and to increase your liability protection. If you rent, keep in mind that your landlord’s insurance does not cover your possessions and you need renters insurance to be certain you’ll be reimbursed if a fire or broken pipe in the unit above damages your furniture, appliances and electronics, not to mention all your clothes. Renters insurance will also pay for living expenses while the home or apartment you rent is repaired, and pays for any medical bills or lawsuits if someone gets injured at your place.
While you are at it, this is also a great time to create an inventory of all the things you own to help you purchase the right insurance protection and make filing a claim much easier.
Get Extra Protection for High Value Items
That beautiful new wedding ring and special gifts like fine art, china or silverware may need scheduled personal property protection, often called a “floater,” to make sure they are covered for their full value. Most homeowners and renters policies will only provide limited coverage for those high value items. Scheduled personal property coverage will also pay to replace a ring, without a deductible, even if it was misplaced or damaged in the disposal.
What made you want to be a teacher? “I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. Being a teacher runs in my family as both of my grandmothers were elementary school teachers. My mom also taught for 35 years.”
What do you like most about your job? “The kids are, by far, the best part of teaching. All of the different personalities, learning styles and prior experiences come together and make every day unique and interesting.“
Chris is not only a unique second grade educator, but she also coaches for her school. She leads the school’s intramurals program along with coaching soccer and basketball at the neighborhood middle school.
Chris says, “It gives me a chance to teach sports to my former students, and it gives me a chance to work with kids I wouldn’t know otherwise.”
Really…you were driving 50 in a 65 speed zone, weaving into my and other drivers’ lanes while oblivious to the dangerous conditions you were causing. Then you looked up from your texting to glare at me as I passed and noticed what was causing your erratic driving. Really?!
It certainly wasn’t safe and it was illegal. You were in one of the 46 states that specifically ban texting while driving. It is a citable offense and could lead to serious charges if you caused a crash while texting.
Not only were you endangering yourself, but dozens of others around you as you blithely tapped away at your phone – on the Interstate no less. Thankfully, this time there was no crash and hopefully not the next time, but the odds are against you.
In your smug defiance, did you know?
3,179 people were killed and another 431,000 were injured in crashes involving distracted drivers
One-third of drivers in a 2015 survey admitted to texting while driving and 75 percent said they have witnessed others doing it
10 percent of fatal crashes and 18 percent of injury crashes were reported as caused by distraction
For the first time in a quite a few years, the number of fatalities on the nation’s roads and highways increased in 2015
More drivers are using their mobile devices to surf the internet to check sites such as Snapchat and Facebook
The average text takes your eyes off the road for about five seconds, comparable to driving the length of a football field blindfolded
So, what can we do about drivers like this? WE must continue educating all drivers, especially younger ones, about the carnage caused by all forms of distracted driving. Barring that, technology may come to the rescue with devices that block all texts and phone calls while a person is behind the wheel, or another that prevents the car from operating if the phone is not secured in a special docking mechanism.
In the meantime, here are 10 actions to stop distracted driving:
Turn off phones and other devices and stow them away
Spread the word with a cell phone message telling callers you’re driving and will get back to them when you are off the road
Pull over if you need to make or receive an important call
Use passengers to make a call or respond to a text for you
X the text – don’t ever text and drive, surf the web or read email while you are driving
Know the laws about whether you can use a hand-held cell phone behind the wheel
Prepare in advance and program your GPS device before you start the car – if you need to change or review the directions, do so only after pulling over and stopping
Secure pets to keep them from being a danger or distraction
Mind the kids or other passengers and pull over to interact with them or address any issues or behaviors
Focus only on driving – never multi-task, refrain from eating, drinking, reading, grooming, smoking or any activity that takes your mind and eyes off the road
Recognizing the danger of distracted and reckless driving, California Casualty is a proud partner of Impact Teen Drivers, a nonprofit that educates parents and teens about the realities of bad choices and behaviors behind the wheel. Their programs have reached millions of young drivers, employing peer-to-peer messaging, focused school presentations and community workshops to prevent the number one killer of teens today. Learn more or lend your support to this important organization here.
You worked hard, saved your money and bought a home. Now you want to protect the largest investment you have ever made with homeowners insurance. You’ll sleep better knowing that your insurance will help you rebuild if there’s a fire, tornado or a tree falls onto your home. What you may not know are the many things it might not cover. Your sweet dreams of protection could turn out to be a nightmare because you don’t have the coverage you thought you did.
Here are five things not covered by most home insurance policies:
Earthquake and land movement. 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 a river overflows its banks or storm surge sends tides into your home, you’ll need to purchase separate 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 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 collectables. 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.
And, if you have a swimming pool, trampoline or certain types of dogs, you need to call your insurance company to make sure you are protected. Many insurance companies are starting to exclude them from policies or refusing to insure homes that have one or more of these.
The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) also warns that as many as 60 percent of America’s homes are underinsured because owners:
Didn’t update insurance after remodeling or adding on
Only purchased enough insurance to cover the mortgage
Underestimated costs associated with updated building codes
Didn’t factor in building material inflation in replacement costs
Another important step many homeowners fail to take is to do a home inventory. Nobody can predict when a fire or tornado might strike, but you can make sure your possessions are properly protected. A survey by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners found 60 percent of homeowners have not documented all the 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. The Insurance Information Institute has created an easy to use home inventory brochure. Items to include are:
Are you thinking about joining law enforcement? Are you thinking about getting a tattoo? You need to consider the implications of a tattoo if you are contemplating a career in law enforcement.
While some departments are getting more lenient about exposed tattoos, others are sticking to original policies against them, citing the rationalization that they can change the public’s perception of local law enforcement.
According to policechiefmagazine.com, only 8% of the public said they would accept visible tattoos with male officers and 5% with female officers. Also, 80% say that the public view of the police is shaped by their appearance.
Depending on your department, policies may vary. Be sure to ask before starting the hiring process. Even current officers should consider some of these tips before heading to the parlor:
– Check with your department to see what your options are.
– If they are allowed, ask if they can show outside the uniform.
– Ask if you will have to wear long-sleeves if tattoos cannot be visible.
If tattoos are acceptable:
– Consider the appropriate placement of the tattoo that abides by policy.
– Think about the subject matter of the tattoo to avoid termination.
With more people getting tattoos – 45 million Americans have at least one tattoo – its possible more police departments will adapt and accept the trend. Until then, whether or not to get inked is up to you.
Hear what other peace officers are saying about California Casualty…
Name: Chris H.