Kick Your Holiday Season Stress with These Savvy Apps

Who couldn’t use a little help chipping away at the holiday to-do list? Look no further than these seasonal apps to get the jobs done.

Greeting Cards: Sincerely Ink

You want to send holiday cards to family and friends, but you just haven’t had the time to run to the store or even sit down at your computer to create something. The Sincerely Ink app can design, customize, print and ship your holiday greeting cards directly from your smart phone. Simply import addresses from your contact book and recipients will receive your personalized greeting within a week.

Gift Giving: Checked Twice

Still getting Mom perfume every year? And does finding something new for Dad seem impossible? Checked Twice is a family gift registry that lets you create gift lists with items found online. That way, you can claim items so that nobody ends up purchasing a duplicate present and keep returns to a minimum.

Holiday Party: Pro Holiday Planner

The gifts are wrapped and it’s time to get ready for a house full of guests. Forget the pen and paper. Pro Holiday Planner helps you create a table map to manage seating arrangements, keep track of invitations, RSVPs and thank you notes. You can even decorate your house virtually to see how the decorations will look.

Lingering Leftovers: 4 Day Throw Away

Everyone is stuffed from your feast, but look at all those leftovers. Before you pack your fridge, download the 4 Day Throw Away app. The app will help you determine refrigerator and freezer storage times, so you know when to get rid of all those leftovers.

Want to reduce your stress even more? Create a customized holiday budget with these helpful tips.

CHEERS TO 2013!

NEW YEAR RESOLUTION:   Getting Your Insurance Coverage in Order for 2014   There is not a lot of time to think about insurance during the hectic rush of the holidays, but as you ring in the New Year, it is a good idea to evaluate your insurance coverage. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) offers these tips and reminders to help with your review.

Homeowners/Renter's Insurance This is a great time to update your home inventory and make sure your homeowners or renter's policy is up-to-date. While the decorations are out of storage, take some photos or video of your baubles. Do not forget to make note of any antique items and their value so you can talk with your insurance agent to ensure that they are properly covered. If you are starting a home inventory from scratch, the NAIC's free smartphone app, myHOME Scr.APP.book, takes some of the headache out of the process. Download the app from iTunes or Google Play. You can also download a paper version here.   Now that you have opened all your gifts, remember to add them to your home inventory, too. Include as many details as you can and take a photo of each item. Most basic home insurance policies have standard limits for big-ticket items like electronics, art, jewelry or sporting equipment. You may need special coverage, so be sure to call your agent as soon as possible to discuss changes for your policy.   If you want to review your insurance policy or declarations page before talking with your agent, take a look at this consumer alert to help understand the terminology.   Auto Insurance Winter can be a challenge for all drivers. Whether you are trying to escape the weather for someplace warmer or just preparing for the first drive to work in the snow, there are a few insurance items you should review.   To make sure you are winter-ready, check your auto insurance policy. Here is a quick reference on how to read your declarations page.   Make sure your coverage is appropriate for your life situation. Liability is the part of the policy that pays for any injury or damage if you cause an accident. If your liability insurance is too low, it is possible that you could be sued for any damages above your liability limits.   Also take a look at your deductibles for comprehensive and collision coverage. This is the amount you will pay if your car is damaged or totaled without fault of another driver. Raising or lowering this amount can affect your premium.   Before hitting the road, make sure you have a copy of your insurance card and your insurance agent or company's number in the car. It is also a good idea to have a way to record details of an accident if you are in one. The NAIC smartphone application WreckCheck walks you through the process of gathering information following an accident. You can then email your notes directly to your agent. Download the free app from iTunes or Google Play.   Health Insurance Many families recently went through the open enrollment process for their health insurance at work or Medicare Open Enrollment, which means you may have new insurance cards and paperwork coming in the mail. It is a good idea to get all this information together before winter illness or accidents happen.   Make sure to check your provider lists to verify visits to your doctor and any specialists are still covered by your policy, as in-network or preferred provider lists change from year to year. Also read through your documents and make note of your copays for in-network and out-of-network providers so you are not surprised later.   When you're planning a vacation away from home, check with your insurance carrier to identify urgent care centers and hospitals that accept your insurance coverage near your destination and along the way. Be sure to ask your carrier about applicable co-pays and deductibles if care is needed.   Click here for the explanation of some of the terms you may find on your health insurance paper work.

Are Holiday Gifts Covered?

Ever wonder what would happen if your house were burglarized and all those beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts stolen? What if someone breaks into your car and steals the gifts you just purchased? Is there coverage for these types of situations?

Read these FAQs and find out:

Question: " I do a lot of shopping at Christmastime, and generally have many packages left in my car as I go from shop to shop. What about the gifts sitting in my car, do I have coverage if they are stolen?"

 

Answer: Presents stolen from your car are not covered by the typical auto insurance policy.

However, they may be covered subject to a deductible under your homeowners or renters policy-except when limited under the conditions mentioned above.

Question: "My house is filled with expensive gitst waiting to be opened. If my home is burglarized, damaged or destroyed, are all the gifts covered under my homeowner's policy?"

Answer: Not necessarily. There may be limitations on the amount of insurance provided by your homeowner's policy, especially for expensive gifts such as personal computers, silverware, stamp orcoin collections, fine art and jewlery.

There also may be limitations on types of loss or damage that are covered, such as breakage, theft or flood.

Question: "Can I get additional coverage for these gifts?"

Answer: Yes. Look into personal property endorsements and floaters. With an endorsement, you can specify a higher amount than under the standard homeowner's policy.

With a personal articles floater, items such as jewerly can be covered at full value, with no deductible, based on current appraisal or the bil of sale. Floaters also can cover additional causes of loss, such as dropping a new ring down the drain.

Question: "As a renter, are my gifts covered by renters insurance?"

Answer: Yes, but renters insurance also has limits on amount of coverage and types of loss covered.

Tenants also can purchase floaters and endorsements to provide insurance for theses uncovered or undercovered items.

Question: "Besides purchansing endorsements, how else can I protect my property?"
 

Answer: We suggest that you conduct a home inventory of all your possessions, and update this inventory whenever you make major purchases or receive gifts. 

 

Go over you insurance policy with our agency to be sure it provides coverage for the total value of items on your inventory. Keep receipts, serial numbers and dates of purchase of major items. Appraise jewelry and fine are at least every three years, because they may change in value over time.

Question: "What's involved in a home inventory?"

 

Answer: A few hours of your time and a working camera or video recorder.

 

First: List all of your major belongings and furnishings, with a brief description, any serial numbers and any receipts or appraisals.

 

Second: Back up this list with photos or a video. Photograph every wall of every room, and inside closets and cabinets. With a video, make comments for a verbal record as well as a visual one.

 

Third: Store everything in a safe place away from your home, such as a safe-deposit box, so they won't be damaged by the same event that might cause you to need them. Update this inventory whenever needed.

 

That's all it takes for the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you are adequately covered.

Travel Packing Tips

 

 

Need some tips on how to travel lighter during your holiday travels?

 

Check out these five tips to packing and lugging a lighter load:

 

1. Do your research

It sounds silly but make sure you know exactly how many days and nights you are away for and the temperature at your holiday destination. Most women make the mistake of packing far too much because they don’t know what they will ‘feel like wearing’ or are scared of packing too little – a bit of research will ensure you take just the right amount.

2. Pick staple items

It’s all about versatile and interchangeable items that you can mix and match, or dress up and down. For example, a maxi dress can work both during the day and the evening – it’s all about accessories!

3. Plan your outfits

Try to match up enough outfits for the number of days you are on holiday, and what you might be doing on each day. Don’t forget to pack enough underwear too!

4. Don’t forget essentials

Essential toiletries, sun cream and medication are all must-have necessities. Never take expensive jewellery away with you – buy cheaper alternatives from the high street.

5. Be space savvy

Roll clothes instead of folding them and tuck away toiletries and accessories into shoes. Standing a case up for a few hours will get rid of extra air, giving you a few inches of extra space at the top to squeeze in those last essential items.

If all else fails and the serial packers amongst you just can’t make up your minds on what to take, then pack your suitcase as normal and then take out half of it. This way, it’s easier to see what you do and don’t need. Happy holidays!