Caring for Kids Today and Tomorrow
Caring For Kids Today and Tomorrow
Raising kids is not cheap. From getting new shoes for their growing feet every three months to funding college, making sure kids have everything they need to grow up and become members of society is expensive.
It’s hard enough to take care of these things when you have a parent or two bringing in steady paychecks, but what if the worst happens and you can’t be there for your kids anymore? Who would make sure their necessities were paid for if you were gone?
Life insurance can ease your worries about providing for your children. Whether you choose a term policy, whole life insurance, or universal life insurance, in the event of your death, your family gets a check they can use for everyday bills, paying off the car or house, or funding a college education. No matter what life may have in store for you, you can make sure that your family has the life you want them to have.
When it comes to your kids, don’t leave things to chance. Make sure that you can take care of them no matter what. Call us today so we can discuss how you can protect your family today, tomorrow and always.
Getting Serious about Life Insurance
No one likes to think about life insurance, much less talk about it or buy it. It’s uncomfortable and a little scary, acknowledging that we won’t live forever. But remember: life insurance isn’t about the people who are gone. It’s about the people who remain.
Life insurance is the ultimate safety net. It ensures that even in the event of your death, your loved ones are taken care of. Maybe it’s ensuring that your kids can still go to the college of their choice, or making sure that your spouse still has the golden years you two dreamed of. Or it can be as simple as making sure funeral arrangements are paid for so friends and family aren’t burdened with final expenses.
It’s time to stop pretending that life insurance doesn’t exist. Let’s sit down and talk about your needs, your options, and how you want to protect your family in case of the worst. You’ll be amazed at the peace of mind it affords you. No matter what happens now, your family will be provided for. There’s no better feeling in the world.
Heat Safety Tips
Heat is the number-one cause of weather-related deaths in the United States. Please be sure to keep safe this week as the heat index will push the limits and records!!
Check out the CDC’s Heat safety tips at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heat_guide.asp
Rember, elevated temperatures have an impact on your entire body. Check out this article on Cnn.com for more informaiton about how your body reacts to being overheated: http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/12/heat-hurts-your-insides-too/?hpt=he_t2
Be safe, stay cool!
From the staff of Yetter Insurance Agency, Inc.
Have a Safe and Happy 4th of July!
Have a safe and Happy 4th of July! Thank you to our veterans and to our active servicemen who have sacrificed for our freedoms!
A surprising number of people are treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to fireworks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists an estimated 7,000 reported injuries in 2008.
Be aware of the laws in the state in which you reside in regards to fireworks - and follow them! Read and follow all firework warnings and instructions. When lighting fireworks, be aware of any brush or dry grass that may ignite from sparks.
Don’t forget – Our office will be closed on Monday, July 4th in order to celebrate with our families. If there is an emergency, the claims departments for our companies are listed in our voicemail and are available for you to call.
Life Jacket Safety
LIFE JACKET WEAR / WEARING YOUR LIFE JACKET
Boaters enjoy the feel of sun and spray. So it’s tempting to boat without wearing a life jacket – especially on nice days. But modern life jackets are available in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. Many are thin and flexible. Some are built right into fishing vests or hunter coats. Others are inflatable — as compact as a scarf or fanny pack until they hit water, when they automatically fill with air.
There’s no excuse not to wear a life jacket on the water!
Things to Know:
•Certain life jackets are designed to keep your head above water and help you remain in a position which permits proper breathing.
•To meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements, a boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved Type I, II, III, or V life jacket for each person aboard. Boats 16 feet and over must have at least one Type IV throwable device as well.
•All states have regulations regarding life jacket wear by children.
•Adult-sized life jackets will not work for children. Special life jackets are available. To work correctly, a life jacket must be worn, fit snugly, and not allow the child’s chin or ears to slip through.
• Life jackets should be tested for wear and buoyancy at least once each year. Waterlogged, faded, or leaky jackets should be discarded.
•Life jackets must be properly stowed.
•A life jacket — especially a snug-fitting flotation coat or deck-suit style — can help you survive in cold water.
How Do Life Jackets Save Lives?
• When capsized in rough water.
• When sinking in unexpectedly heavy sea conditions.
• When thrown from the boat as a result of a collision.
• When injured by rocks or submerged objects.
• When unconscious from carbon monoxide fumes.
• When tossed into freezing water.
• When thrown off balance while fishing.
• When unable to swim because of heavy or waterlogged clothing.
All recreational boats must carry one wearable lifejacket (Type I, II, III or Type V lifejacket) for each person aboard. A Type V lifejacket provides performance of either a Type I, II, or III lifejacket (as marked on its label) and must be used according to the label requirements. Any boat 16ft and longer (except canoes and kayaks) must also carry one throwable lifejacket (Type IV lifejacket).
Lifejackets must be
•Coast Guard approved,
•in good and serviceable condition, and
•the appropriate size for the intended user.
Accessibility
•Wearable lifejackets must be readily accessible.
•You must be able to put them on in a reasonable amount of time in an emergency (vessel sinking, on fire, etc.).
•They should not be stowed in plastic bags, in locked or closed compartments or have other gear stowed on top of them.
•The best lifejacket is the one you will wear.
•Though not required, a lifejacket should be worn at all times when the vessel is underway. A wearable lifejacket can save your life, but only if you wear it.
•Throwable devices must be immediately available for use.
Inflatable Lifejackets
•Inflatable lifejackets may be more comfortable to wear.
•The best lifejacket is the one you will wear.
•Inflatable lifejackets require the user to pay careful attention to the condition of the device.
•Inflatable lifejackets must have a full cylinder and all status indicators on the inflator must be green, or the device is NOT serviceable, and does NOT satisfy the requirement to carry lifejackets.
•Coast Guard Approved Inflatable lifejacket’s are authorized for use on recreational boats by person at least 16 years of age.
Child Lifejacket Requirements
Some states require that children wear lifejackets
•applies to children of specific ages
•applies to certain sizes of boats
•applies to specific boating operations
Check with your state boating safety officials.
Child lifejacket approvals are based on the child’s weight. Check the “User Weight” on the label, or the approval statement that will read something like “Approved for use on recreational boats and uninspected commercial vessels not carrying passengers for hire, by persons weighing __ lbs”. They can be marked “less than 30″, “30 to 50″, “less than 50″, or “50 to 90″.
Lifejacket requirements for certain boating activities under state laws
The Coast Guard recommends and many states require wearing lifejackets:
•For water skiing and other towed activities (use a lifejacket marked for water skiing).
•While operating personal watercraft (PWC) (use a lifejacket marked for water skiing or PWC use).
•During white water boating activities.
•While sailboarding (under Federal law, sailboards are not “boats”).
Check with your state boating safety officials.
Federal law does not require lifejackets on racing shells, rowing sculls, racing canoes, and racing kayaks; state laws vary. Check with your state boating safety officials.
If you are boating in an area under the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers, or a federal, state, or local park authority, other rules may apply.
Lifejacket Flotation
There are three basic kinds of lifejacket flotation in the five types of lifejackets with the following characteristics:
Inherently Buoyant (primarily Foam)
•Adult, Youth, Child, and Infant sizes
•For swimmers & non-swimmers
•Wearable & throwable styles
•Some designed for water sports
Inflatable
•The most compact
•Sizes only for adults
•Only recommended for swimmers
•Wearable styles only
•Some with the best in-water performance
Hybrid (Foam & Inflation)
•Reliable
•Adult, Youth, and Child sizes
•For swimmers & non-swimmers
•Wearable styles only
•Some designed for water sports
Using a cell phone while driving
Pennsylvania has not made driving while phoning illegal yet. Does this activity constitute reckless conduct? A recent study shows that for every 6 seconds one drives and texts, 4.2 seconds are spent NOT WATCHING the road. Distraction is the number one cause of preventable car accidents. Using a cell phone even for conversation only while driving is the chief cause..
Recent court cases in PA have declared driving while phoning is worthy of punitive damage consideration. A punitive award is rendered to punish someone for: Conduct that is outrageous because of the defendant’s evil motives or his reckless indifference to the rights of others; the act or omission must be intentional, reckless, or malicious. Do you agree with the court that driving while using a cell phone may qualify? Well the Court of Common Pleas in Allegheny County PA analyzed a case to determine whether a driver on a cell phone who ran into a stop motorist was reckless or only negligent. It concluded that the behavior was reckless and that punitive damages can be considered. The case will go through the whole of the judicial system before it is set in stone.
Can you afford to talk and drive? For those who use cell phones while driving, if you cause an accident and a jury renders a PUNITIVE award, your auto policy does not pay the punitive part only the Bodily Injury and Property damage parts. In other words, you could be on your own.
