Just Had A Car Accident - What Do You Do?

What to do after a car accident? Get The Facts. Sounds easy, but many people are distracted by the moment and forget to do this. INFORMATION IS CRITICAL. It is important to get the names, address and phone numbers of everyone involved. Also, gather a description of the car(s) and license plate number(s), and make sure to get the insurance company and the vehicle identification number of everyone involved when you’re at the scene of the accident.

• Get out of your vehicle and provide assistance to anyone who is injured.
• Call the police or highway patrol immediately. They can then contact emergency personnel for you, if needed.
• Take photographs of your damaged vehicle and the scene. Note the date and time that the images were taken.
• If possible protect the accident scene by setting up flares, putting up cones or moving your vehicle off the road. Think about keeping these items in your trunk at all times in the event of an accident.
• Once the police arrive, give them as much information as you can about what occurred. Do not admit fault; simply give the facts.
• Ask the investigating officer for a copy of the police report, as you may have to submit it with your insurance claim.
• Write down the names and addresses of all drivers and passengers involved in the accident. Also, note the license plate number, make, model and year of each car involved.
• You should also note the name of the other driver’s insurance company and driver’s license numbers.
• Write down the name and contact information for all witnesses to the accident.
• Note the name and badge numbers of the police and emergency personnel who assisted with your accident.
• Write down as many details as you can remember about the accident, and then call your insurance agent to report your claim.
• Keep all records of correspondence that you have regarding your claim, including the date, name and title of the person that you talked to about the accident.
• Keep a record of any expenses that you incurred as a result of the accident. Depending on your policy, you may be entitled to reimbursement for those expenses.

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In Love With Quinoa

Great, tasty, and easy quinoa recipe are hard to find.

This is not a vegan recipe, but I am not vegan (I haven't graduated beyond vegetarian).

Quinoa is a food superstar for seven very strong reasons:

1. It is high in protein
2. A good source of riboflavin
3. The saponins from quinoa are used to promote healing of skin injuries in South America, making it a good antiseptic.
4. It's alkaline-forming. 
5. Although it is not strongly alkaline-forming, it is comparable to wild rice, amaranth, and sprouted grains.
6. It is gluten-free
7. It is a complex carbohydrate with low glycemic index. 

Here is one of my favorite quinoa recipes:

CRISPY QUINOA CAKES

• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ Tbs. tahini or nut butter
• 1 ½ tsp. red or white wine vinegar
• 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
• ½ cup finely grated sweet potato
• ½ 10-oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• ¼ cup chopped nuts, optional
• 2 oz. crumbled feta cheese, optional
• 2 Tbs. finely diced onion
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
• 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
• ½ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine egg, flour, tahini, and vinegar in bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients, then mash together until mixture is firm enough to shape into cakes. Shape mixture into 1/4-cup patties with wet hands. Bake on prepared baking sheet 25 minutes, turning once, or until cakes are browned.

Serve with a the tangy sauce of your choice. I love to use a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.

Cecil B. Williams
EMERGE INSURANCE AGENCY904-677-5884

Teenage Driving

Vehicle choice is particularly important for young drivers.

If your teenager has just gotten a driver’s license, chances are he or she is looking forward to driving to school this fall. It may be hard to imagine handing them keys to your brand new car, but that may be the smartest vehicle to choose.

While getting a driver’s license is an exciting rite of passage for teens, it can be enough to make a parent frantic. The insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Insurance Information Institute (Ill) say there’s something worried parents can do to protect their teens – choose a safe vehicle.

Teenagers should drive vehicles that reduce their chances of a crash and offer state-of-the-art protection in case they do crash. The first years teenagers spend as drivers are very risky. In fact, teen drivers have the highest death rates of any age group. In 1997 alone, more than 5,700 teenagers died in motor vehicle crashes, and many more were left severely and permanently injured by crashes.

Teen drivers not only lack experience, for many of them immature behavior, such as speeding and reckless driving, is common. They may drive cautiously when mom or dad is in the car, but when they’re on their own or with other teens, bad driving is often the norm. Keep this in mind when you decide which vehicle your teen will drive and avoid vehicles that encourage reckless driving.

Avoid choosing vehicles with a performance image. Sports cars and other vehicles with performance features, such as turbocharging, are likely to encourage speeding. Choosing a vehicle with a more sedate image reduces the chances your teen will be in a speed-related crash.

Don’t let your teen drive an unstable vehicle. Sport utility vehicles, especially the smaller ones, are inherently less stable than cars because of their higher centers of gravity. Abrupt steering maneuvers – the kind that can occur when teens are fooling around or overcorrecting a driver error – can cause rollovers in these less stable vehicles. A more stable car would, at worst, skid or spin out.

Even if your teenager drives a car with a sedate image, chances are still high that sooner or later he or she will be in a wreck. This is why it’s also important to pick a vehicle that offers good crash protection.

Don’t let your teen drive a small vehicle. Small vehicles offer much less protection in crashes than larger cars. However, this doesn’t mean you should put your child in the largest vehicle you can find. Many mid and full size cars offer more than adequate crash protection. Check out the safety ratings for mid size and larger cars.

Most of today’s cars are better designed for crash protection than cars of 6 to 10 years ago. So avoid older vehicles. For example, a newer mid size car with airbags would be a better choice than an older, larger car without airbags. Before you make a final choice on the car your teenager will drive, take advantage of the wealth of consumer information available on car safety from the US Department of transportation, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and Insurance Information Institute. Check it out; it just may save your teen’s life.

For further information, consult the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or the Insurance Information Institute web sites.

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Leading Causes of Fires

The risk of fire increases during the summer months in Florida because we are the lightening capital of America. Now with school out there will be more cooking in the kitchen and on the grill, the risk of fire increases more.

According to the latest reported figures, accidents related to cooking caused more residential fires more than any other known cause. Careless smoking is the leading known cause of residential fire deaths.

Causes of reported fires include:

Cooking	20%
Unknown	18%
Heating	15%
Suspicious Causes (arson)	11%
Electrical wiring	8%
Appliances	6%
Smoking	5%
Open flame	5%
Children playing	4%
Other	4%
Exposure	3%

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Mistakes that Make Homeowners Prime Targets for Burglars

Every year, over 2 million homes are violated by burglars. That's a burglary every 15 seconds! Here are the top mistakes home own­ers make:

Mistake #1: Leaving the bur­glar alarm off when you're running out for a few minutes. Nearly all the houses robbed have expensive alarm systems-and more than half the time, the alarms aren't turned on!

Mistake #2: Posting detailed alarm signs. When you post a sign that identifies the alarm company, you've just given the burglar the in­formation he needs to disable the alarm. All the burglar has to do is buy a diagram of how that particular system is wired.Better: Buy a generic sign from a home-supply store that simply says "This House Is Protected By An Alarm System."

Mistake #3: Hiding valuables in the bedroom. It's the first place bur­glars look-the underwear drawer... under the mattress...high closet shelves, etc.Keep money or jewelry you rarely wear in a safe-deposit box. Hide other valuables in places where burglars don't think to look -in the garage, for example, or above removable ceiling tiles. Or hide valuables in the freezer or in fake soup cans made for this purpose.

Mistake #4: Getting a big dog. A 100-pound Rottweiler or German shepherd might look scary, but bur­glars know better. Most big breeds, unless they are trained as guard dogs, aren't barkers. What you want are "yappers," small dogs that make a lot of noise. Breeds such as Chi­huahuas are better deterrents than large dogs.

Mistake #5: Hiding windows with landscaping. Tall bushes and shrubs allow burglars to jimmy windows without being seen. Keep all bushes trimmed to below win­dow level.Also, don't count on thorny plants to prevent entry. Professional thieves routinely wear gloves and 2 layers of clothes-and carry cutting tools to remove any thorny obstacles that may get in their way.

Mistake #6: Leaving the lights on. A light that stays on all the time is no more of a deterrent than a dark house. In fact, it helps burglars see better once they're inside.Better: Use timers that turn lights on and off in different parts of the house at different intervals. Elec­tronics and home-improvement stores sell motion detectors that turn on lights or appliances if some­one enters the house. They cost about $20 each.

Mistake #7: Having newspaper and mail delivery stopped when you go away. You may trust your mail and newspaper carriers, but the fact is that you don't know who else is getting the information. So keep your plans quiet. Have a neighbor or close friend pick up your paper or mail. Ask them to drop by at different times of the day. The more activity burglars see, the less likely they are to target your house.

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Is Travel Insurance Worth It?

The summer travel is season has come again. Many are counting down the days now until they are able to take off from work, or their semester has ended to take a vacation, or leaving for that once-in-a-lifetime dream trip. While during this time of year travel peaks, whatever time you may be traveling it is widely known that travel these days can be very pricey. 

With the high cost of travel many wonder if they should invest in travel insurance for coverage for themselves and dependents. The short answer is: it depends.

When considering whether to purchase travel insurance it is important to investigate what the policy actually covers. These policies typically cover travel protection, baggage protection, medical, and emergency evacuation. 

Travel Protection is probably one of the most popular types of travel coverage. This coverage will cover a fraction of the expenses of a trip that is cancelled or rescheduled. Usually the traveler or the traveler’s companion must be sick or injured to be reimbursed. 

Baggage Protection is protection that covers baggage that is lost, stolen, or damaged. Usually airlines automatically extend coverage for the loss or damage of baggage during a flight, but do not assume your airline will cover your possessions. If you travel with jewelry, electronics, and other expensive items this coverage is worth purchasing. 

Medical Coverage is coverage you will probably only need if you are travelling internationally. Many think they don’t need additional medical coverage, however many policies only cover in-network. If you are in a place with few in-network providers and have to go to an out-of-network provider there is a good chance your claim will be denied.

Emergency Evacuation this coverage covers expenses for a medically-necessary evacuation; this includes your transportation to medical care. When travelling to remote areas it is wise to purchase this type of coverage.

There are many different policies to choose from when shopping for travel insurance, with many different benefits. With all the different choices in travel coverage, as well as the likely hood your current policies coverage may overlap you travel insurance you should ask you independent insurance agent about your options. 

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How Does An Inquiry Affect Your Credit Score?

Many people believe that every inquiry affects a credit score however, that is not the case. Don’t be fooled certain types of inquiries do affect your credit score. To help keep a good score it is important to know what credit inquiries make an impact, and which ones do not.

The most often inquiry that will not affect your credit report is a soft inquiry. These inquires have nothing to do with a consumer’s attempt to get credit, and are not harmful to the report at all. Inquiries for auto, homeowner's and other insurances fall in this category of "soft inquiries". Also things like credit checks made by potential employers are examples of soft inquiries.

A hard inquiry is used if a person is attempting to get a loan, and it does have an effect on a person’s credit report. This information can be seen in the future by a bank, or any other lender. Whenever a person applies for a mortgage, car loan or credit card they are considered hard inquiries, or an attempt at a loan. Problems can arise if a person attempts a large amount of hard inquiries in a short amount of time. Lenders may think that the consumer is trying to obtain as much credit as possible.

In order to avoid excessive hard inquiries on your credit report it is a good idea for you to run your own credit report to see where you stand before trying to obtain a credit card or loan. It is also a good idea to wait awhile if you are turned down for a credit card before you attempt again.

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Hurricane Experts Worry About Complacency Ahead of Season

After nearly seven years without a large hurricane threatening the entire Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida, emergency planners say they're having a difficult time getting residents to prepare for the upcoming season.

How true. FEMA studies have found that 70% of Americans are unprepared for a natural disaster, and that problem is compounded in Florida where individuals don't have a plan for their family nor business. Also. in the last decade more than 1 million people have moved into Florida, many of them are unfamiliar with the threat of tropical storms.

We at Emerge Insurance Agency encourage families and business owners to begin planning now for the 2015 hurricane season. Download our Hurricane Planning Checklist and take other necessary steps to protect your family and business.

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The Steak of the Vegetarian World

Portobello mushrooms are something called "The Steak of the Vegetarian World." Portobello mushrooms are thick and meaty just like a steak.

One 4-inch cap contains only 22 calories per serving. They contain a serious nutritional punch, they are low in fat and high in fiber which is good for our health. The portobello has an excellent source of selenium which is an important mineral for optimal antioxidant activity and it has potassium and a lot of the other B vitamins, and their polysaccharide and beta-glucan components show anti-cancer properties.

Portobello mushrooms will retain their nutrients when stir-fried, grilled, or microwaved.  I prefer them grilled because the flavor really gets kicked up a notch. 
 
OK, just try grilling a few portobello mushrooms this weekend and you they may become a healthier addition to your regular diet.

Smokey Portobello Sliders (or burger)
Serves 4

Big or small, portobello mushrooms make the perfect grilled "burger." Portobellos' meaty texture and rich, robust flavor take on the flavors of marinades and rubs and stay juicy and tender when grilled. The onion topping can be made up to two days ahead and is optional.

• 8 baby or four regular size portobello mushrooms, stems removed
• 3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
• 2 Tbs. Classic BBQ Rub
• 2 medium yellow or white onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. herbes de Provence – OK, you are follow this simple recipe to make your own.

1 teaspoon dried basil 
1 teaspoon dried marjoram 
1 teaspoon dried oregano 
1 tablespoon dried rosemary 
1 tablespoon dried savory or 1 tablespoon dried summer savory
1 teaspoon dried thyme 

• one 1/2; cup prepared barbecue sauce
• 2 oz. shredded smoked Gouda (¾ cup) or the smoked cheese of your choice
• 8 mini challah rolls or dinner rolls or regular size buns

1. Toss mushrooms in bowl with 1 Tbs. olive oil and Classic BBQ Rub. Set aside.
2. Heat remaining 2 Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and herbes de Provence, and cook 30 minutes, or until golden, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
3. Heat grill or grill topper over medium-high heat. Rub grate or grill topper with vegetable oil. Place mushrooms stem-side down on grill. Brush mushroom tops with barbecue sauce, and grill 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft and charred around the edges. Flip, and grill 3 minutes more. Divide cheese among mushrooms, placing in center of each stem side. Grill 1 minute more, or until cheese is melted.
4. Meanwhile, warm the buns. Spread barbecue sauce on bottom buns, and then top each with 1 mushroom, sautéed onions, and top bun.

Enjoy and let me know how you like your vegetarian steak!

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* Vegetarian Times

Why Is The Cost to Rebuild Your Home Higher Than New Construction?

Many of you are astounded when they buy a home for $175,000 and your insurance agent wants to insure it for $300,000 or more.  The reason an agent would (and should) recommend the higher amount is because the cost to replace your home after damage from a fire, storm or some other tragedy is higher than the cost to buy another similar home on the market.  This assumes, of course, that you have replacement cost coverage on your homeowner policy.

Following are several reasons that explain why rebuilding costs could be 30-40% higher than new construction. 

1. Demolition and debris removal.  While new home construction normally begins on open site with perhaps some brush removal and grading, rebuilding begins with a partially or totally destroyed structure occupying the building site with trees, plantings, driveways, sidewalks and other structures that have to worked around. The site may have to be cleaned after a fire left it contaminated.
2. Top-down versus Bottom-up.  New construction begins at the foundation and builds upwards.  Repairing a house that is not destroyed often means removing the roof and rebuilding from the top down, a far more time-consuming and labor-intensive process.
3. Costs Vary by Location.  The demand for construction labor and associated fees in your community may vary greatly with those in another community. As an example, average rebuild prices for a mid-century ranch in suburban Ohio may be $75 to $90 a square foot, while the cost to rebuild a home in Jacksonville or Ponte Vedra may be $110 - $135 a square foot.
4. Access to the Worksite.  When new homes are under construction, there is usually open area, allowing for easy access to the site. Materials can be driven directly up to any side of the structure as needed. When a house is being rebuilt among existing homes though, there is often landscaping, fences, and similar obstructions limiting access. Materials often have to be off-loaded further away and delivered by wheelbarrows or hand-carried to where they are needed. The impact on labor costs can be significant.
5. Construction costs rise after natural disasters.  Following a natural disaster affecting a wide area, the costs of building materials and contractor fees nearly always rise sharply in response to the sudden increase in demand. In Florida we saw this after Hurricane Andrew. Even without deliberate profiteering, this would normally be true because when local supplies are quickly exhausted, materials have to be brought in on an emergency basis, often from mills or factories at great distance. This may require higher transportation costs. Whenever many homes have to be repaired or rebuilt at the same time, the cost for each will be higher than normal.
6. Special Features and Unusual Materials.  Older homes and homes that have been extensively remodeled often have customized features or include materials not commonly found in homes being built today. These features and materials can be expensive, if not impossible to duplicate. It’s often difficult to even find craftsmen that still do this type of work. 
7. Rebuilding to code.  Most older homes were built during times when building codes were less strict than they are today. If you are rebuilding or restoring your home, you may need to meet the newer and more demanding building codes. Even undamaged parts of the structure may have to be rewired or plumbed to meet current codes. Building code changes can add thousands of dollars to the cost of restoring a damaged home.
8. Economy of scale.  When contractors have many homes under construction at once, materials can be purchased in at a discount due to large quantities and work can be scheduled for the most efficient use of carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and other tradesmen.

We recommend checking with your agent every two to three years to request a new rebuilding cost estimate.  If you don’t have replacement cost coverage on your homeowners policy, you should speak with your insurance agent about getting it.  Not having replacement cost coverage could mean you end up with huge out of pocket expenses.

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Hurricane Planning Checklist

Its hurricane season again. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from today June 1st through November 30th every year. Some years are worse in terms of damage than others -- 2005 remains the busiest season for the Atlantic region on record with 28 named storms -- but every hurricane season brings the potential for significant weather events between the Caribbean and eastern Canada.

 Download our: HURRICANE PLANNING CHECKLIST

What’s the forecast for 2015? For what it is worth, many weather experts are predicting an unusually quiet year for hurricanes in 2015. Colorado State University has predicted no more than seven named storms this year, three of which will be hurricane-strength, but only one that's a category 3 or higher.

(Related: Florida’s hurricane-free stretch has Citizens bracing for storms)

We aren't in the thick of hurricane season yet, but it is never too early for homeowners and family in the potential path of these storms to prepare for the worst. So, we have prepared the attached Family Hurricane Planning Checklist for you.

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Female-named hurricanes kill more than male hurricanes

A study was published last year that found that female-named hurricanes killed more people than male-named hurricanes. Why? The study found that people don't take hurricanes as seriously if they have a feminine name.

Being a person that works with each client to evaluate both personal or business risks, I am very concerned that risk perceptions for many people hinge on gender differences in naming storms. 

Read more on this study: http://ow.ly/LtXLv 

EMERGE INSURANCE AGENCY 

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Driving Personal Autos in Business, and Business Autos Used Personally

In any traffic accident, two entities can be held liable for damages: 1) the at-fault driver and 2) the vehicle owner. Insurance companies generally view the vehicle's insurance to be primarily liable with the driver as secondary.

Let's assume you're a business owner using your personal vehicle for company business. You are the owner of the car and the driver. Only one responsible party, right? No. Since you're using the car for business, the business can be held responsible since you're driving on its behalf.

So, who pays when your business has no automobile insurance?

The business pays all damages not covered by your personal insurance. Worse, the business pays for legal representation whether you are at fault or not.

The solution is simply to purchase "hired and non-owned" automobile liability, usually as an endorsement to your general liability policy if you have no automobile coverage. This add-on is inexpensive for small companies, but saves much stress, financial, and legal consequences in the event of a major accident.

Now, what about the other side? Your business owns the car, and you drive it personally. If you do not have a personal auto policy, you are personally unprotected against the liability of car accidents.

The other driver will claim against you as an employee and the business as vehicle owner, both covered by business automobile insurance. If the claim extends to you personally, you may be liable for damages in excess of the business policy limits, plus all of your legal expenses.

The solution to this potential gap in coverage is a "drive other cars" endorsement which allows the business policy to act on behalf of the driver whether in a rental car, a borrowed car, or a car used in business. The endorsement will add only named people to the policy; it is not blanket coverage for all employees.


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