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!!

Do You Need a Business Owners Policy ~ A BOP?

Every industry has its acronyms. In insurance one is BOP. Does your business need a BOP? What type of BOP do you need? What is a BOP!?!

A BOP is a Business Owners Policy. It is typical for businesses to have a BOP as it offers protection from property and liability risks in one package. It provides business owners with one bundle policy, and is general sold at a premium less than the total cost of purchasing individual coverages. The best thing about BOP coverage is that it is customized to fit your business; a contractor does not need the same coverage than a law firm needs, but both more than likely have a BOP.

A typical policy will often include:
• Property insurance
• Business interruption coverage
• Crime insurance
• Vehicle coverage
• Liability insurance

Depending on the risks of your business, you may need to add other coverages; additional components can be added to suit your business. For additional information about business owner policies, please contact an agent today.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Work or Woods? Where Are You This Monday?

If you’re from Michigan, either you deer hunt or you know someone who does. It’s that time of year – hunting season. There are several types of people I know who enjoy this time of the year.

Some people say this is their favorite time of year; they go out in the woods and just sit, waiting for anything to walk by. Yep, that’s it, with no intention of shooting, just to soak up the pure beauty of nature. Listen to the silence of the wilderness, the sound of the birds and animals as they scamper, storing food for the cold months ahead.

The second group of people I know are the avid hunters. They are out there to provide for themselves and their families; returning to the natural self, foraging for their own food. This group of people look forward to using their venison to make a variety of meals, soups, stews, chili’s, sausage, and jerkies. They have a whole book of recipes to try.

Then, there are the sport hunters. They are out there looking for the rack, in search of the trophy buck. They gamble with their friends and family, not always for money, but for bragging rights. Who got the first deer this year? Which in the group got the largest deer? Who sat out in his or her blind the longest? Which of the gals or guys didn’t even leave camp this year, but was just there to feel like one of the group?

That leads me to the fourth type of hunter…some of you already know him or her, others will have to think harder about who this could be in your group of friends. They head up to the camp knowing that they won’t even go out. They are there to be a part of the group, to make memories with their friends and family. Some of them are there to cook, others to pass out the cards for the euchre tournament; they are there because it is the only time of the year that they will spend with this special group of friends.

Then, there are those of us who don’t hunt at all, but send our significant others, friends, and family off into the woods. Yes, some of us are referred to as hunting widows. Year after year, every November, the hunters bundle up and head out to the woods; and we, curl up on the couch with a good book and a hot cup of cocoa or glass of wine.

There are plenty of people who will pass each day like the rest, heading to work, or completing tasks at home; regardless of who is where in the woods. However, most of the hunting widows or widowers I know will use this time as an excuse to go to the show with a friend they haven’t seen in a while, or head to the mall to get started on some holiday shopping.

Regardless of which group you fall into, it is true that you fall into one of them and know another who may fit into another. You see, our activities complete us, they draw us closer together, build a sense of belonging. Regardless of your place this year, please watch for the hunters and the deer who are moving through the woods and across busy roads and highways.

Have an absolutely marvelous Monday!

Happy Friday! Here's What's Happening....

Thank goodness it’s Friday! Another busy week; I can’t believe how quickly the month of November has flown by – we’re already midway to the end of the month. Along with the middle of November and heading into December, there are tons of things to do in the area. To all of our hunting friends, have a great hunt and stay safe!

If you’ll be in town this weekend, here are a few things happening. Bundle up and have some fun!

East Lansing Area
Mamma Mia! The Musical (Wharton Center)
MSU Men’s Basketball vs. Columbia – Coaches vs. Cancer Classic (Breslin Center)
All-of-Us Express Children’s Theatre: Treasure Island (Hannah Community Center)
The East Lansing Film Festival 

Kalamazoo Area 
Kalamazoo Russian Festival 
Explore Glass Art Day (West Michigan Glass Art Center) 
Small Wonders: Amazing Owls (Kalamazoo Nature Center) 

Detroit Area
The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream (Fox Theater) 
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (Palace of Auburn Hills) 
Novi Pet Expo (Suburban Collection Showplace) 

West Michigan Area
West Side Story (DeVos Performance Hall) 
Festival of Trees (Muskegon Museum of Art) 
Grand Haven Night Light (Grand Haven) 
Shop ‘Til You Drop Late Night (Holland) 

Here and There
Christmas Walk (Grayling)
The Beer Hunt Tour (Traverse City)

Don’t forget to cheer on the Spartans this weekend as they play the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Go State!

World Kindness Day... Participate with a Random Act of Kindness Today!

Everyone needs a little kindness in their lives – a time when they feel completely accepted by another individual, accept a reward for no reason at all, or better yet, gives the gift of kindness to another person. Today is World Kindness Day.

We are taught kindness from our childhood, an Aesop Fabulist writing “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” But can we teach our children kindness, can kindness grow? According to researchers at the Center for Investigating Health Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we can not only train children to be more compassionate, but adults as well.

Researchers trained young-adults how to increase the caring feelings for those who were suffering. First they encouraged participants to use ancient Buddhist meditation to relieve another person’s suffering. They repeated phrases to help them focus on compassion. Initially, participants started envisioning people they knew, and gradually moved into feeling compassion for themselves, and then for strangers. Eventfully, they used the training to feel compassion for an individually whom they had a previous difficult encounter with. Through the study, researchers found that people can be trained to feel compassion and kindness for other individuals.

Here are a few ideas to help you celebrate World Kindness Day -

• Donate used books to a local library 
• Give care packs to the homeless
• Volunteer at a local school 
• Help a neighbor or friend with yard work
• Let someone in line go in front of you 
• Pay the tab for someone behind you 
• Stop and say thank you at the local fire or police department 
• Pick up trash 
• Send flowers 
• Cook a meal for someone 
• Leave quarters at a vending machine

“The best part of life is not just surviving but thriving with passion and compassion and human and style and generosity and kindness” ~ Maya Angelou

Happy Kindness Day!

Happy Veterans Day.... Thank You!

Happy Veterans Day! Today is an annual holiday is to honor and celebrate the United States armed forces, including those currently serving.

Consider celebrating in one of the following ways:

1. Offer a simple thank you. You can call, email, text, post on social media.
2. Help an active military family. You can help around their homes, with their children, or just be a friend.
3. Visit hospitalized veterans.
4. Donate to the local VFW
5. Support one of the following businesses who are offering discounts to veterans today.

Here are a few ways that businesses are thanking veterans today. If you’re a veteran take advantage of today!! Make sure you check to see if your local establishment is participating and have your military ID with you to cash in on these awesome offers. 

Applebee’s – Free meal from the Thank You Meal Menu.

California Pizza Kitchen – Free pizza; dine-in only.

Carrabba’s – Free appetizer.

Chili’s – Free entrée from a special menu.

Denny’s – Eat all the pancakes you want (on the house) between 6 am and 2 pm.

Famous Dave’s – Between free meals or a 25% discount depending on your location.

Great Clips – Free haircut.

JCPenny – 20% off purchase with printable coupon. 

Krispy Kreme – Free doughnut and a small coffee.

Little Caesars – Free crazy bread. 

Longhorn Steakhouse – Free Texax “Tonion” appetizer and (non-alcoholic) beverage.

National Parks – Free admission.

O’Charley’s – Free meal from the $9.99 menu. 

Olive Garden – Free meal from the Veterans Day menu. Any family member with a Veteran receive 10 percent off their bills too!

Outback Steakhouse – Free Bloomin’ Onion and beverage.

Red Robin – Free burger and fries.

Red Lobster – Free appetizer.

Starbucks – Free tall brewed coffee.

Sports Clips – Free haircut.

Texas Roadhouse – Free lunch.

TGIFridays – Free lunch between 11 am and 2 pm.

Tim Horton’s – Free doughnut.

Walgreens – Get 15% off eligible store items.

Free night’s stay at participating Bed and Breakfasts.

A personal thank you to the men and women who protect our freedom each and every day. Thank you!

Friday Fun in November

It’s finally the weekend! Here are some things we’re headed to do this weekend. Join us if you can!!

Mmmmm….Dellicious! 
Sip, Savor, Stomp: A Holiday Wine Tasting – Royal Oak Farmers Market
Lansing Fall Fest – 902 E. Saginaw Highway, Grand Ledge
Michigan Food, Beer, and Wine Fest – Perani Arena, Flint

Animal Activities 
West Michigan Harvest Cluster AKC Dog Show – Kalamazoo County Expo Center & Fairgrounds
Novi Equestrian Expo – Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi

For the Family
Grand River Valley Railroad Club Fall Train Show – Home School Building, 5625 Burlingame Ave, Wyoming
Kalamazoo 51st Annual Holiday Parade – Downtown Kalamazoo
Run-A-Munk – Woldumar Nature Center, Lansing

Ladies Only 
Women’s Only Weekend – hit the shops and do some dining in South Haven this weekend!

A Month of Gratitude

November is the month to give thanks and we have so much to be thankful for this year!

We’re thankful for amazing customers this year. The growth of our agency is due to referrals from our current clients. We pride ourselves on the growth we make through relationships we’ve built for more than thirty years. Without our clients, we wouldn’t be here today; so thank you to our amazing customers who do so much for our agency.

We’re thankful for wonderful, supportive and creative employees. Although employees usually don’t hear it nearly enough, we are thankful for all that they do! They are an amazing group of people; dedicated throughout the day, in the evenings, and even on weekends. It is because of our employees that our clients receive such amazing attention. Our employees are detailed and ensure that customers receive the service and coverage they need. Thank you to an amazing group of people!!

Who and what are the things that you are most thankful for this year? We’d love to hear from you!

Halloween... The After-Party!

Yep, we’re stuck on the Halloween theme… at least until next week!

So, Halloween is over; last night your kids probably counted, weighed, and sorted their candy; deciding quickly what they would keep for themselves and what they would give to moms, dads, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, and sisters. If they haven't already, have your kids sort it – it really is a great learning activity. Their teachers would be proud!!

Seriously though, you’ve probably got tons of it. Our boys always did and we didn’t know what to do with it, until the next holiday when we threw it away. I always felt so wasteful. Here are some great tips that you can do with the extra candy:

Use it in the Kitchen 

• Freeze it. You can add it to recipes throughout the year – cookies, brownies and the occasional milkshake.
• Bake it into cakes, cookies, or brownies.
• Use it in a healthy mix. Crush it up, and sprinkle it on celery or in yogurt, or add it to trail mix.

For the Home

• Use it to decorate your home. Make a craft.
• Make a candy cake. These make great gifts!
• Save it to decorate a gingerbread house in December.
• Make a candy wreath.

Drink it

• Share it with other adults. Chocolate is wonderful paired with wine!
• Use it to infuse vodka.
• Pop a piece in your morning coffee.

Teaching Tools 

• Have your kids use it to help them with math – addition, subtraction, counting, multiplying. All sorts of math problems can be done with candy. 
• Use it to inspire your child to write. Candy has all sorts of names that would be great for settings, characters, or interesting creative writing situations. 
• Give it to children when the practice their spelling words or do some extra reading. 
• Use it in a science experiment. 

Share It! 

• Send it into school with your child.
• Mail it to troops. Groups like Operation Shoe box love to add candy to care packages.
• Take it to the office and share it with your coworkers.
• Donate it to the fire department, a nursing home, many organizations accept candy.

Check out our Celebrate | Halloween Candy Leftovers Pinterest board for all sorts of recipes and ideas and follow us while you're there!

Happy Friday ~ have a great weekend!

Tips for Trick-or-Treaters

We’re one day closer to Halloween! Yesterday, we featured some tips for homeowners. Here are some tips for trick-or-treaters…and their parents! As always, please be vigilant about keeping your children safe!! Here are a few tips to make sure they are easily seen.

1. Use glow sticks and flashlights. Make sure that your child stands out in the dark.

2. Travel in groups.

3. Remind your child not to enter the home or vehicle of a stranger, even when invited. They should have an adult with them.
4. Remind your child not to eat treats until they return home so they can be inspected.
5. Discuss and plan your route before walking. If your child is older, and you are not walking with them, it is best to have an idea about where they may be. Remind them not to leave the route unless you agree upon it ahead of time.
6. If your child has a cell phone, have them call and check in. They can easily report their location in case of emergencies.
7. If homes do not have their lights on, this usually means they are not inviting trick-or-treaters.
8. Purchase reflective tape to add to costumes or bags. You can find this in many hardware departments and stores.

9. Make sure you adhere to town curfews and trick-or-treating hours.
10. Remind children not to cut through people’s property or through alleyways.
11. This is a great time to remind and teach children how to use traffic signals to cross, and make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of a vehicle.

Be safe and have a great time!!

Halloween Tips for Homeowners

It’s amazing that if you’re a Michigander – or a Mid-Westerner – autumn is probably one of your favorite times of the year.  There are a list of reasons to love autumn – the colors, cooler weather means digging out some of your favorite clothing, and of course, THE HOLIDAYS!!!

Most people I know are so glad that the Halloween season is upon us. Even adults like to dress up and play pretend sometimes! I love seeing the kids this time of the year – trick-or-treating at my house is a festival in and of itself. Many of our neighbors go all out this time of the year, creating their own haunted houses. Before all these visitors arrive at your home Thursday, here are a few things you need to consider as a homeowner.  It’s always nice to be prepared and avoid any unnecessary accidents.

• Turn on all of your outside lights.  Leave them on throughout the evening and even after trick-or-treating is over.  It helps to deter vandalism. 
• Make sure your driveway, walks, and paths are clear of debris, leaves, garden and lawn equipment, and decorations.  The last thing anyone wants are injuries on their property. 

• If you have walkways, railings, or steps that need to be repaired, do so before Halloween; If they are not repaired, post a sign to caution visitors. 
• Accidents happen! If a pumpkin is smashed on your sidewalk or steps, make sure you clean up the slipper goo.
• Put away cars, bikes, planters, sprinklers and other outdoor items that you may still have out to deter theft or vandalism. 
• Be careful with or avoid candles – use holiday lights instead, or use battery-powered lights. 

SWIMMING POOL OWNERS – Be sure your pool cover is secure, the gates are locked, and that the lights are on in and around the pool area. If you own a trampoline, this applies to your home as well.

PET OWNERS – Watch your animals. They may not be used to little visitors. Make sure to keep him or her away from the front door.

DRIVERS – Slow down! It gets dark early and children are very excited. Watch for them in the street and on medians. Exit driveways and turn on to streets with extreme care and caution.

Friday Fun

It’s almost the weekend! If you’re like us, you have had a busy week and are ready to spend some time relaxing. Take time to enjoy some time with you family at one of these Michigan events:

Lansing Area
Lansing City Market 6th Annual Harvest Festival 
Shawhaven Haunted Farm
Corn Maze at BestMaze

Grand Rapids Area 
Chrysanthemums and More 
New Salem Corn Maze 

Detroit Area 
5th Annual Detroit Fall Beer Festival 
Scream Machine 
Halloween in Greenfield Village 

Battle Creek / Kalamazoo 
Trick-or-Treat Fun Run/Walk
The Great BooZoo

Elsewhere
Mackinaw Island Halloween Weekend 

Take some time to enjoy the wonderful fall weather and have a great weekend!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

As most of you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. You have probably seen quite a few businesses, people, and even sports teams supporting the cause this month.

According to the Susan G. Komen foundation there will be an estimated 232,340 new cases in women and 2,240 new cases of breast cancer in men this year.

Here are some other statistics you’ll find interesting:

Reach out and help someone today by supporting survivors and other cancer research groups.

Teach Me Tuesday

Welcome to our new blog! Every Tuesday we will feature a product that you might have, need, or just want more information about! 

We’re going to start with one of Capital’s most popular product –bond coverage. The most important thing to know is that bonds are not insurance policies – they are guarantees.

There are many reasons that you might need a bond for your business. Here are just a few…

• As a business owner, you may need a surety bond to guarantee payment for state sales taxes.
• As a contractor, you may need to post a license or permit bond to guarantee your work for licensing requirements.
• Attorneys may have clients that are required to post court bonds, such as administrators or executors bonds, to guarantee their performance while distributing assets in estate situations.
• Notary publics are required to post bonds in most states. 

Capital can provide you with the following types of bonds:

• License – a bond guaranteed to a state or federal agency
• Indemnity – guarantees any loss should a party fail to meet deadlines
• Payment – promises payment to all subcontractors and vendors
• Performance – guarantees the performance of contractually agreed upon work

You can easily apply for a bond by completing one of the applications on the Capital Insurance bond page. For more information and help with bonds, please contact Angie Moberg by email or at (517) 482-7900.