Order Up – It’s Movie Night!

Brrrr….. in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s cold outside! Is your tree up? Are you done decorating?

Why not spend the evening watching a great Christmas movie with the family! Here are a few suggestions that you can find at RedBox, Netflix, or from another cable provider.

Let's Talk About It ~ The MCCA Charge

You see it on your automobile insurance policy every six months. Most of the time we get calls asking how to get rid of this “fee”. It’s the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association fee. Yes, we’ve heard all of the questions, how to I get this fee off my policy? I don’t want to belong to the MCCA, can you remove the coverage. The answer is always no. It’s that simple, nope. Let me explain WHY you want this coverage and how important it is to not only you, but your friends, family, and others in your community.

The Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association is a private, non-profit unincorporated association created by the state Legislature in 1978. It is one of the most vital ways that people who have experienced catastrophic claims receive medical care and reimbursement. Personally knowing people who fall into this category, it is their lifeline to resuming life as normal after suffering an automobile accident. It might sound extreme, but it’s that important.

Under your automobile insurance policy, you have what is called personal injury protection (PIP) medical claims paid. Currently, that amount is $530,000. It’s pretty easy to explain, you sustain injuries as the result of an automobile accident; if your medical claims are less than the $530,000, then your insurance company pays for said claims. If you are in critical care and your hospital and physician bills are in excess of $530,000 that is where MCCA steps in. There is nothing you need to do though. The claim is submitted to your insurance company, and the company works with the state of Michigan so that the rest of the insurance and physician bills are paid for.

Yes, that situation may sound extreme, but that is not the end of the story. The majority of patients who leave the hospital following an automobile accident have injuries that will affect the remainder of their lives. For some it may be daily nursing care, for others it may be a prescription for ongoing seizures due to a head injury. But the point is, the coverage is there. If you don’t know anyone who has suffered from an automobile accident here are a few things that they would have to pay for if they had exceeded their $530,000 policy limit it weren’t for the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association.

• Wheelchairs
• Prosthetics
• Follow-up doctor’s appointments
• Prescriptions
• Home health attendant
• Physical and occupational therapy

It’s hard to imagine a friend or family member needing those items, and not having any way to cover the expenses, especially when the automobile accident was no fault of their own. Check out the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association consumer information for additional information and statistics.

5 Ways to Protect Yourself on Black Friday and Cyber-Monday

If you haven’t already started your holiday shopping, it’s that time of year. Hopefully, you’ve got your lists ready and can just check of gifts quickly. Here are 5 ways to protect yourself when making purchases online.

1. LOOK FOR YOUR SECURITY BAR (BROWSER BAR) TO LIGHT UP GREEN. This is an indication that the site you are visiting has been verified and not a fake site created by a malicious cyber attacker. 
2. LOOK FOR THE HTTPS:// OR PADLOCK IN THE ADDRESS BAR. This lets you know that any information you input on this page is secure. 
3. IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT PROBABLY IS. These are often lures to gather information about you. 
4. USE STRONG PASSWORDS. Do not use the same password for each account. The strongest passwords include a capital letter, number, and symbol.
5. STICK WITH YOUR FAVORITE ONLINE SITES. If you’ve made purchases at an online site before and been happy with the results, shop there again. Usually, you can be sure you will get the same service that you previously received! 

You can find some great deals and plan your trip AFewShortCuts.com. Happy shopping!

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Make sure to enjoy each minute with the special people in your life.

10 Reasons To Have Homeowners Insurance

Yep, home is where the heart is! There are lots of people traveling this week for Thanksgiving. Let’s stop and take a minute to talk about your insurance though and 10 reasons it is to make sure you have home insurance and that it is up to date.

1. IT’S REQUIRED - Most mortgage lenders and banks will require that you carry insurance on your home. 
2. WEATHER – You want to ensure that your home is covered in case of severe weather. 
3. LAWSUITS – Your homeowners insurance protects you from lawsuits that may result as a part of homeownership. 
4. PROTECT YOUR BELONGINGS – If your possessions are destroyed, insurance will reimburse you for the value of your property.
5.  MEDICAL COVERAGE – If a guest is injured on your property, many homeowners insurance companies will pay for the guest’s medical bills. 
6. PROTECTS EQUITY – Your home is one of the largest investments you will make. Your homeowners insurance protects the value of the property. As you make renovations to your home, make sure to increase the amount of your coverage! 
7. NATURAL DISASTERS – Tornadoes, windstorms, and hurricanes. Beware – some natural disasters are not covered, such as earthquakes and floods. Check with your agent for your policy specifics.
8. LOSS OF USE – If you cannot live in your home due to a covered claim, your policy will reimburse you for hotel accommodations. 
9. THEFT – Your insurance policy guards you from property stolen from your home as the result of robbery or theft. 
10. PEACE OF MIND – It may sound cliché, however, having homeowners insurance allows you to know that your belongings are covered in case anything does happen. 

Have a terrific Tuesday and enjoy your Thanksgiving!!