Free Home Inventory Software.

With Thanksgiving now past its time to prepare for winter.

Did you know that January is National "Get Organized" month? Don't be a turkey, its time to get organized.

If one of your New Year's resolutions was to get organized why not start with a home inventory?
Now that the cork's officially been popped on holiday festivities, millions of Americans are eager to get a head start on all those well-intentioned resolutions they made. Getting organized is often one of the top five goals people aspire to at the start of a new year.
For those who are looking for a more orderly 2009, making a comprehensive home inventory is a vital first step. If you already have a home inventory, the New Year is a great reason to update - especially since many families recently received expensive new Holiday gifts. The home inventory can be a vital tool in the event disaster strikes, such as fire or theft.
Tornadoes, hail, fire and theft can impact area homeowners without any notice and with devastating consequences. An accurate and up-to-date home inventory can not only help you organize your home right now, but also help make the recovery process easier on you and your family should disaster strike.

Six Steps to a Home Inventory

•1. Whenever possible, make sure your home inventory list includes photographs or videotape of belongings. If you have a home video camera, take periodic videos of each room in your house. Focus on individual items in each room. Take additional video of smaller items like jewelry, silver, and related valuables or keepsakes. The same recommendations apply if you're using a conventional camera. Be sure to be thorough when taking pictures of your belongings.

•2. Include with any picture or video home inventory list, a detailed, written account of what you own. Be specific in your written inventory. Whenever possible include make, model, serial numbers, receipts and date of purchase for all items in your home inventory.

•3. If you don't have pictures, a written home inventory list is better than no inventory, but make sure you are as detailed as possible.

•4. Store your home inventory list somewhere away from your home. If you have a bank safety deposit box, keep your list there. If you don't have a safety deposit box, ask a friend or relative to keep your inventory list in a safe place. Lists and information in an electronic format can also be emailed to trusted friends or relatives for safekeeping. Allstate recommends, wherever you store your home inventory list, make sure the location is far enough away from your home it won't be lost in the same event that may destroy your house. However, make sure your home inventory list is kept close enough so that it is easily accessible to you when you need it.

•5. Be sure to update your home inventory after any major purchase or gift. You should be updating your home inventory periodically anyway, but make special effort to do so after any major purchase, holidays, or birthdays.

•6. If time permits, share your home inventory with your insurance agent so that he or she can help you decide if your coverage meets your needs.

I can tell you first hand that having a home inventory can save you quite a bit of work should you experience a loss. I have worked with clients who have lost everything and the process of trying to reconstruct what possessions you have accumulated over many years is very difficult? Do you know how many shoes, screwdrivers and Christmas ornaments you have?
If you aren't ready to itemize everything I also suggest walking thru your house with a video camera and tape everything. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure so why not get organized today.

So where is the free home inventory software? Here you go... If you would like to learn more please drop me a note at deanakey@allstate.com or give me a call at 877-232-9899.

Winterize Your Home & Save...

Many winter-related disasters can be prevented if you take a few simple steps to protect your home from freezing temperatures, snow and wind. With the weather still mild, autumn is the perfect time to winter-proof your home, says the Insurance Information Institute.Standard homeowners policies cover winter-related disasters such as burst pipes, ice dams, and wind damage caused by weight of ice or snow, as well as fire-related losses. Coverage for flooding is available from the National Flood Insurance Program, but can be purchased through your insurance agent or of course, me. Winter-related damage to cars is generally covered under the comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy.You may be surprised to know that over 10 percent of all catastrophic losses are the result of winter storms and the average homeowners claim for water damage and freezing is $3,098.To prepare for winter, I have put several tips together for you.

Outside your home
Clean out gutters. Remove leaves, sticks and other debris from gutters, so melting snow and ice can flow freely. This can prevent ice damming - a condition where water is unable to drain through the gutters and instead seeps into the house causing water to drip from the ceiling and walls.

Install gutter guards. Available in most hardware and home stores, "gutter guards" prevent debris from entering the gutter and interfering with the flow of water away from the house and into the ground.

Trim trees and remove dead branches. Ice, snow and wind could cause weak trees or branches to break - damaging your home or car, as well as injuring someone walking on your property.
Repair steps and handrails. This may prevent someone from falling and seriously being injured. Broken stairs and banisters can become lethal when covered with snow and ice.
Seal cracks in holes in outside walls and foundations. Use caulking to protect water pipes and make sure that skylights and other roof openings have proper weather stripping to prevent snowmelt from seeping in.

Inside your home
Keep the house warm. Set the thermostat for at least 65 degrees, since the temperature inside the walls, where the pipes are located, is substantially colder - a lower temperature will not keep the pipes from freezing.

Add extra insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. If too much heat escapes through the attic, it can cause snow or ice to melt on the roof. Water can then re-freeze, causing more snow and ice to build up. This can result in a collapsed roof, and can contribute to ice damming. Ideally, the attic should be five to ten degrees warmer than the outside air. Well-insulated basements and crawl spaces will also help protect pipes from freezing. You may also consider insulating unfinished rooms such as garages to keep pipes from freezing.
Have the heating system serviced. Furnaces, boilers and chimneys should be serviced at least once a year to prevent fire and smoke damage.

Check pipes. Look closely for cracks and leaks and have the pipes repaired immediately. Wrap exposed pipes with heating tape.
Install an emergency pressure release valve in your plumbing system. This will protect them against increased pressures caused by freezing pipes and can help prevent your pipes from bursting.

Make sure that smoke and fire alarms are working properly. Residential fires increase in the winter, so it is important to protect your family with working alarm systems. Also, consider installing a carbon dioxide detector, since a well sealed home can trap this toxic gas.
Learn how to shut the water off and know where your pipes are located. If your pipes freeze, time is of the essence. The quicker you can shut off the water or direct your plumber to the problem, the better chance you have to prevent pipes from bursting.
Hire a licensed contractor to look for structural damage. If damage is discovered, have it repaired now rather than waiting for a problem to occur. Also, ask about ways to prevent water damage due to snow-related flooding. Plastic coatings for internal basement walls, sump pumps and other methods can prevent flood damage to your home and belongings.

If you are going to be away for an extended period, take special care. Turn the water off and/or have the water system drained by a professional to keep pipes from freezing or bursting. Also, hire someone to check your home on a regular basis. If there is a problem, it can be fixed quickly - lessening any damage. Activity at your home will also reduce the likelihood that it will be burglarized.

As an insurance guy, I see these types of claims every day. If you take a little extra precaution you can prevent many of these winter related issues. Wouldn't you rather be making snowmen this winter?
That's all I have to say about that.
Bull

Winter Driving Tips

With snow and colder temperatures on the way, I thought you may enjoy the following safety tips for driving in extreme winter weather conditions.
1. Reduce your speed
Snow and ice greatly increase the stopping distance for all vehicles. Even four-wheel drive vehicles need to adjust to hazardous road conditions. Not knowing when you are about to encounter black ice, the best driving advice to those that must be on the road is, slow down.
2. Maintain your car and check that the:
Tires don't show excessive signs of wear
Battery is fully charged
Wipers are working and windshield fluid is full
Cooling system is in good working condition
3. Prepare for the unexpected and carry:
A flashlight
Jumper cables
Blankets
First-aid kit
A shovel
A cellular telephone
Additionally, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that the following steps be taken when a vehicle stalls:
Stay with the car
Put a bright marker on the antenna or in the windows
Clear the exhaust pipe, if you can run your car
Run your car just long enough to remove the chill
That's all I have to say about that. Drive safe.
Bull

A Few Things You Should Know About Social Security

A Few Things You Should Know About Social Security
Here is a list of a few things you should know about Social Security. I get questions quite often regarding Social Security and thought you may find the following helpful.
1. Your payments will be bigger if you wait until your full retirement age.
You can start taking Social Security payments as soon as you turn 62, but your benefits will be reduced 20 to 30%. That's a big chunk, especially if you expect to spend many years in retirement. You might consider working a bit longer or relying on your retirement savings to help cover your living expenses until you can receive full benefits.

What's Your "Full Retirement Age?"
If you were born in...
It's...
1937 or earlier
65
1938
65 + 2 months
1939
65 + 4 months
1940
65 + 6 months
1941
65 + 8 months
1942
65 + 10 months
1943-1954
66
1955
66 + 2 months
1956
66 + 4 months
1957
66 + 6 months
1958
66 + 8 months
1959
66 + 10 months
1960 or later
67



2. You can work while getting Social Security.
As long as you're 62, you have the option to take Social Security. If you earn more than $13,560 a year between age 62 and your full retirement age, your benefit payments will be temporarily lowered, based on how much you earn. Say you earn $10,000 over the limit. Your benefits would be reduced by $5,000. If you make $20,000 over the limit, they would be reduced by $10,000. (The limit gets updated each year.) The good news is that you don't actually lose out on those benefits. Instead, your payment amount is recalculated so that you receive more money later on. It's another way working in retirement can help stretch out your income over time.

3. Your payments won't start automatically.
The two rules above mean it makes the most sense for you to tell the Social Security Administration when you're ready to start receiving monthly benefits. You can do that over the phone (1-800-772-1213), in person, or through the Social Security online application.

4. Your benefits could be taxed.
Only a third of Social Security beneficiaries end up paying taxes on their benefits. It all depends on the earnings listed on your income tax return. If you file with more than $25,000 as an individual (or $32,000 jointly), you'll have to pay federal income taxes on your benefits. The rules for state income taxes vary from state to state.

5. Your payments can help your family, too.
Let's say your monthly benefits turn out to be three times as much as your spouse's. (It's a common scenario, especially in families where one spouse paused their career to stay home with the kids.) If she waits until her full retirement age to start getting benefits, her payments will be raised so they equal half of yours.After you die, your spouse will get either your monthly benefit check or hers-whichever is more. And if you have disabled children, kids under age 19, or elderly parents who depend on you for at least half their income, they could receive "survivor benefits."
If you need any help understand Social Security and how to prepare for your retirement please give me a call at 630-232-9811 or drop me a note at deanakey@allstate.com

The Bull Pen: But She Doesn't Work.

The Bull Pen: But She Doesn't Work.

Rescue Rider?

Often I am asked questions about the Rescue Rider program. I have put the following information together to help folks better understand what our program is all about. Let’s face the facts. Motorcycle accidents and fatalities are a major concern. "Our nation’s greatest traffic highway safety challenge is motorcycle fatalities," says U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, noting that biking deaths are rising while other vehicle fatalities are declining” According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2007, 5,154 people died in motorcycle crashes, the highest level since NHTSA began collecting data in 1975. The 2007 figure represents a 6.6 percent from 4,837 the previous year.
Motorcycle crash fatalities have increased every year for the past 10 years. Motorcyclists were 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash per vehicle mile traveled in 2006 and eight times more likely to be injured, according to NHTSA.

We created the Rescue Rider program to recruit, educate and organize bikers in support of each other, our communities and our nation. We do this by helping provide bikers with the tools & training needed to provide emergency assistance in times of need.
The Golden Hour: In the world of emergency care, the “Golden Hour” is defined as the time period of about one hour in which the lives of a majority of critically injured trauma patients can be saved if definitive trauma care intervention is provided. This principle of rapid intervention can also be applied to non-trauma patients such as those having a heart attack or a stroke, in which time to treatment dramatically affects a patient’s outcome.

Training: Rescue Riders must have training to be able to provide assistance. We recommend that our volunteers complete Accident Scene Management (Basic & Advanced) and CPR certification where available. In those areas where ASMI training is unavailable we recommend Red Cross or American Heart Association First Aid training.

Tools: We recommend that Rescue Riders find a permanent place on their motorcycles to carry a “first responder” kit and tools to help secure an accident scene. Unfortunately many qualified volunteers are unable to provide emergency care without the appropriate tools. Rescue Riders should carry a first aid kit that contains materials that coincide with your training and comfort level. We have created a “first responder” kit for you to use or if you prefer you can purchase a kit from the vendor of your choice.

Cost: There is no cost to join or participate in the Rescue Rider program.
Good Samaritan Status: In today’s litigious society, there can be a reluctance to help our in emergency situations. Fear of liability for any misstep can paralyze even the most helpful Good Samaritan. The truth is that each state has laws or regulations to protect the general public from liability during rescues or rescue attempts.

Good Samaritan laws are meant to protect those who come to the aid of others for no other reason than kindness. Good Samaritan laws only help if the rescuer (or would-be rescuer) is acting without any expectation of reward. In other words, if you are getting paid to rescue then you aren’t a Good Samaritan. Paid rescuers are expected to do their jobs correctly and can be held accountable for mistakes. The best way to protect yourself from possible liability when helping others is to always act on behalf of the victim. The statutes in Illinois and most states in the Nation allow you to provide emergency medical assistance within your training and comfort level and be protected from prosecution.

Duties & Expectations: As a Rescue Rider, you are acting as a Good Samaritan. Your participation is defined by you. Many Rescue Riders complete training and ride as they always have. If you would like to be a more active Rescue Rider volunteer we support many area events and rides at the request of the event/ride organizers. Our leaders broadcast Rescue Rider support missions at the Rescue Rider group on the http://www.illinoisblogspot.com/ site. For those of you who desire to be actively involved in the Rescue Rider program we invite you to join us as a Regional Coordinator. Regional Coordinators reach out to area events, rides and organizations to offer Rescue Rider support. Once an event is identified as a good fit with our organization, Regional Coordinators post the Rescue Rider support missions and coordinate the efforts of our volunteers.

I hope this helps you better understand our program and what we do. Now that the weather is turning colder, the Rescue Rider training programs really heat up. Many of you prefer to spend warm sunny days riding so the majority of our training programs are held October thru March. If you would like to learn how to provide emergency medical assistance as a Rescue Rider, I invite you to enroll for one of our upcoming Rescue Rider sponsored Accident Scene Management classes. For a limited time you will be able to enroll in our classes at a reduced rate courtesy of the law firm of Hupy & Abraham and the Allstate Foundation. Tuition for both Basic and Advanced courses typically cost $55 each. As a result of the generosity of our sponsors your cost to train is reduced to only $30 until we exhaust our grant funds.
For an updated listing of classes please e mail Teresa McClelland at tjm911rn@aol.com. Teresa is our National Director of Training and she will be happy to assist you. Until next month, enjoy the ride.

Welcome back to the Bull Pen. Are you a channel surfer? Do you ever feel that even with 300 channels there is nothing “good” on television? Steven Wright once said “Don't you wish there were a knob on the TV to turn up the intelligence? There's one marked 'Brightness,' but it doesn't work”. Recently I was on one of my channel surfing safari’s and found a show about people who have won the lottery. You would think this is a “rags to riches” story. To my surprise it was more of a “rags to riches to rags” saga. The show profiled people like William "Bud" Post who won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery in 1988 but now lives on his Social Security. After winning the lottery, Post’s former girlfriend successfully sued him for a share of his winnings. It wasn't his only lawsuit. A brother was arrested for hiring a hit man to kill him, hoping to inherit a share of the winnings. Post even spent time in jail for shooting a gun over the head of a bill collector. Post eventually filed for bankruptcy & now he lives quietly on $450 a month and food stamps.

To many, winning the lottery is an American Dream. The American Dream to me is to own a 65 panhead and a 47 Indian Chief. To me, the Panhead was the last truly classic “old school” bike that was manufactured by Harley Davidson. My two shovelheads were crap but that’s probably more due to the AMF/Harley years. The lines of the 47 Indian Chief are the pinnacle of classic styling and flair that you would expect from Americas first Motorcycle Company. As you can probably tell, I am a big fan of both Harley & Indian. I want one of each….

In case you didn’t know, Indian designed their first bikes in 1901 two years before the start of the Harley Davidson legacy. Indian was not only the first American motorcycle, it was the world's best-selling bike and, having introduced the first V-twin motorcycle to the world in 1907, the most technologically advanced. Harley-Davidson 1910 models, by contrast, were all singles, producing five horsepower or less.

Indian Motorcycles were originally manufactured under the corporate banner of the Hendee Manufacturing Company, which later reincorporated as the Indian Motorcycle Company. Not a bad move is you ask me. Riding an Indian just sounds cooler than riding a Hendee…
Much like Harley Davidson, Indians and their riders were bound by emotional ties unusual in relationships between bikers and their machines. Thousands of Indian fans flocked to dealerships throughout the country at annual Indian Day celebrations, while riders and prospective riders were warmly welcomed at the Indian’s manufacturing plant affectionately nicknamed “The Wigwam” decades before official tours were offered to the public.
It was a sad day for Indian enthusiasts when Indian ceased manufacturing “Americas First Motorcycle” in the early 1950s. A company in Gilroy, California began manufacture in the late 1990s of motorcycles under the Indian name after they purchased the trademark. The motorcycles have been known as the Gilroy Indians. However, the company folded in 2003.

So is there a happy ending? I hope so. In July 2006, under new a management team and corporate structure Indian reopened their doors for business. I may not be able to find a “cherry” 1947 Indian Chief but starting in 2008 new Indians began to roll off the line at the new “Wigwam” manufacturing facility in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. I recently had the opportunity to check out some of the new 2010 Indian models and all I can say is these are flippin bad ass… Check out the classic lines of the Bomber. I want one of these in my garage. These scooters aren’t cheap so I better sell a buttload more motorcycle insurance to make my dream a reality. Get the hint??

Initially, Indian motorcycles will have a limited production run until their dealership network expands. On that front, my old friend Bob Marchello and his partner Matthew DiVenere are reintroducing Indian Motorcycles to the greater Chicago area by opening Indian Motorcycles of Chicago. You can check out the new 2010 models at their new dealership located at 474 Ridington Drive, in South Elgin IL. Good luck Indian Motorcycles, it’s great to see the return of a classic.

Switching Gears

The history lesson is over. Now it’s time to help make history. Many of you know about the Rescue Riders. In five short years we have grown to over 2000 volunteers nationally. That’s quite an accomplishment for an all volunteer organization. Our volunteers have provided emergency assistance to quite a few fellow bikers from coast to coast. To celebrate and raise some much needed dough, we are throwing one heck of a party and you are invited. The proceeds from this year’s event will also benefit the children from Mooseheart’s Child City School. We will be hosting FrightoberFest on October 17th and have one great day planned for you. Festivities start with a poker run followed by a music festival with an amazing lineup of bands. The Miller Girls & Jager Girls will be on hand to help quench your thirst and to top it off there will be a costume contest. I am torn between showing up as an Amish person or sticking with my French maid costume. If you have an idea for future editorials or you would like to reach me please call me at 630-232-9811 or drop me a line at deanakey@allstate.com. Until next month, enjoy the ride.