Guaranty Association Benefits Company

Every year we ask the children to create Christmas wish list full of toys and gadgets and other young dreams. As adults, we tend to have more intangibles on our wish lists: more hours in a day, shorter lists of things to do, or maybe even peace of mind that the season celebrations will be a breeze. In all the hype vacation this year, someone stopped to ask what your wish list include?

If you're like me, you are probably eager for a few hours each day. As it is impossible to create more time, I have to make the best moments I have. So what do I do? I try to capitalize on the "single window". Yes, sometimes these types of stores can be hectic but get it all done in one place may finally give me more time to spend with their loved ones, and really, is not that what this season is all about?

as the representative of the service, I try to be aware of the privileges available to customers. I want to remind you some of the benefits out there that can help your holiday wishes come true:

• Browse websites to get ideas for delicate loved on your list. Often, online vendors will show you additional gift ideas based on your search.
• Check if your choice of store includes gift packaging on site. Sometimes this is free; sometimes there is a nominal charge.
• Ask about the special delivery. Companies can ship your gifts to your local store to pick up easily or perhaps even right to your front door, allowing you to stay snuggled by the fire even longer.
• Did you use your smartphone to make a purchase? Check application on your mobile phone to track these items to your door.
• Do not forget to make large purchases of the season! Contact your local independent agent for the peace of mind that your new jewelry or car is protected.

Maybe, just maybe, your adult Christmas wish is not too far out of reach! I hope you cherish the extra time these benefits bring.

What services do you like to use during the holiday season? Please share your customer experience in the comments below.

warm wishes to all this holiday season!

Happy New Year or "HNY" if you are an avid acronym as my 14-year-old. Joking aside, it seems like acronyms have become part of our daily lives. Some of us drive SUVs, most of us use ATMs, and in the insurance world, we use ISO to help determine a fair premium insurance.

ISO, or Bureau of insurance services, provides insurance companies with information, products and services that help us determine your risk of property focusing on fire rate for your building and business personal property. Your insurance company may request an ISO representative to visit your business and gather information such as building construction, occupancy, operations and systems of protection against fire.

We encourage you to embrace the process as it can have an impact on your insurance premium! Let me use the story of the three little pigs to explain. Remember the fairy tale characters curly tail? They each occupied a building in different building materials: straw, sticks and bricks. And who could forget the big bad wolf, determined to destroy their buildings, contents, and even poor little occupants! While all three face the same risk, the pig in the brick house is much better than its sticks or straw neighbors

Now try to apply this story to the ISO standard. you can see how a masonry building will likely have an ISO rating different than one made of wood. Consider if the buildings were equipped with protection systems against fire, such as sprinklers, alarms, fire extinguishers, and exit markings illuminated. And operations within buildings? You can imagine a welding business poses more risk than the lease of office space. These are just some examples of items that are considered by ISO and then used by the insurance company to determine your insurance premium.

On a side note, these visits often seem to be the same object to a visit by a loss control consultant. This can be confusing until you understand the difference. Both visits are very beneficial for you, the goal of ISO is to provide insurance carriers with a rating system to help determine a fair premium for your business. The control department of the loss of a insurance company to visit a place of business, or business, identify risks or hazards that can affect the well-being of the company and its activities. In short, ISO is a universal rating system's insurance companies use to determine insurance premiums while the loss of control is a benefit to policyholders to help prevent and minimize losses .

For a better understanding of ISO, please click on the image at top of this article to watch a short video. And do not forget to contact your independent insurance agent for more information on how to prepare for a visit of ISO.

The new year is well underway and now many of us have forgotten our New Year resolutions. maybe you promised you better this year and ensure your own well-being. But what about your family? Here's a resolution you may not have considered - ensure that the car seat your child is safe and secure, and you use it correctly

There is never too much. late to start a new resolution, much less when it involves the safety of your children. I have created a car seat a few do's and don'ts to get you started:

• DO take your car to an inspection site local car seats for professional installation check box. Many enforcement agencies of the local law and fire departments will organize events installation of the child seat which are free to the public. You can find an inspection site near you by visiting Seatcheck.org.
• DO put a child in a car seat facing the rear at an angle of 45 °. If it is too flat, your baby may slide down; if it is too upright, the head can fall forward and squeeze the airways. Helpful Hints: Use a rolled towel under the foot of the seat if necessary
• DO choose a car seat with a five-point harness that they were designed to increase a child. safety in case of accident.
• DO put a curvaceous next to the body of your baby blanket if they are small, but be sure to attach them to the first so that the straps remain tight. This prevents the head from hitting the side of the car seat in case of accident. Even if the seat is padded, it can still cause a child injury.
• DO put your child in a booster seat when they are past their car seat, and insist they use until they are eight years old or 57 inches tall. A recent study found that top folder boosters are safer than backless in side collisions

While taking the initiative to protect your child, be sure to avoid these mistakes common :.

• NOT put a child in a car seat facing forward. A baby must travel in a car seat rear-facing until they are aged at least one year and weigh 20 pounds. If your baby is less than a year, but weighs over 20 pounds, put them in a car seat rear-facing convertible.
• NOT forget to tighten the safety belt buckle your seat during the installation. If you can move more than one inch from side to side, the seat is too loose.
• NOT put your car seat or booster in the front seat. Children must be aged at least 13 years before they board at the front.
• NOT forget to check the tethers are attached properly if your car uses less Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH). You should only use the attachments below for a rear-facing seat; a seat facing forward must use both the top and bottom of attachment. Be sure to tighten all straps.
• NOT secure your child or the child in their seats wearing winter coats. the results of recent crash tests have shown some infants and children can slip out of their car seats due to the congestion of winter coats. If you are concerned about your children being warm, experts say you can turn around the coat and put it upside down on the harness, with their arms in the sleeves. Or you can ask a real blanket over the child.

We all want our children to be safe, comfortable and warm during car trips. These safety tips car seats are a great place to start! Do not delay - make a resolution today to ensure your child is as safe as possible in their car seat

On a recent trip to Baltimore, Maryland, our family had the chance to visit a well-known bakery. Even if the door was closed, that somehow the kids got the attention of the receptionist and we were welcomed inside where all the magic happens. There were several cakes on the screen so that we admire and staff were busy decorating cakes pretty amazing and eager to share their art. We spent several minutes taking pictures and talk to the staff before buying candy to take with us. The cake was simply divine!

As we made our way home, I pondered the types of bakery insurance or other commercial business owners may need to consider. One guy in particular came to mind, like the bakers often travel for long distances to offer their amazing creations or even decorate their products on site. So many things could go wrong on the drive there! For example, all supplies would go flying if someone forgot to close the back door before leaving. Or cake may tip during a clash. How the baker is protected against unforeseen events like this?

The answer is the inner marine insurance. This type of insurance can provide coverage for your commercial property all on site or in transit. It is an extension of marine insurance of the ocean that covers goods in transit on the water; Inland Marine is a separate type of insurance cover for goods in transit on land.

There are many businesses that operate on multiple sites or need to move equipment between locations. Examples of commercial property that is often on the move and may be protected by an inner Maritime Policy:

• Quick Property for clients, an exhibition, or display
• Salesperson samples
• contractor equipment
• camera equipment
• Musical equipment
• Pet grooming equipment
• hardware

This type of coverage usually protects equipment things like fender bender above, as well as weather events such as lightning or wind storms and even theft or fire. So before loading your gear and take off, talk to your independent agent to make sure your business coverage is customized to meet your unique needs. Have a nice trip!

The covers here are described in the most general terms, and subject to the conditions and actual policy exclusions. For the wording of the cover, conditions and exclusions, please contact your policy or agent.

Have you ever met someone who always seems to be in a good mood? It seems no matter what may come their way, they shake and move on. Or maybe you've seen just the opposite; someone who is always down and despite your efforts to raise their spirits, they do not move.

The truth is, you're likely to experience these two characters in the workplace. So what can you do to keep the balance and the atmosphere as positive as possible? My advice is to keep SIMPLE

S mile.! He is someone human to smile if they smile at you to begin the first smile string

I ngest water: Drink plenty of water each day. It is recommended that you drink half your body weight in ounces every day and I defy you to do just that. You will probably feel better

M usic: If you're like me, music can lighten your mood and reduce stress. So put on some headphones, choose an inspiring music, and feel the tension melt

P ositive Quotes :. Consider a quote you heard that everything seemed to strike a chord with you. Submit your office or share it with someone else in your department; it may be just what they need as well

L imitated "Bad Vibes" :. Remove yourself from any negative talk that can occur. Not only will this help your own mood, but it will also send a message to others that their behavior is not productive

E Xercise :. Sitting all day can affect you physically and mentally. If you feel hitting a wall, get up and move or take a walk. Exercise releases endorphins, a reminder of the natural mood!

I hope my daily practice can help you brighten up your day and keep the positive vibes that go in your office. Please share some of your favorite quotes, tips and tricks in the comments below!

Summer is finally here! Between record snowstorms, floods and hail, I thought it would never get here. Fortunately, the holiday season is upon us, but it means that burglaries will inherently increase. Every year there are more than 2 million burglaries, over 65 percent are residential burglaries, the majority occurring in the holiday months of July and peaks in August In addition, 9 out of 10 home break-ins could be avoided if homeowners take simple steps to Burglarproof their homes.

Here are some tips that can help you protect your home against burglary while you are away this summer :.

• Stop delivery of your mail and newspapers or have a friend or neighbor to look for them for you
• Keep well trimmed bushes and shrubs and keep the outside your house well lit. Thieves prefer not to be seen.
• Use timers on lights, televisions and radios to make it appear as if someone is home.
• Have your lawn maintained if you will be away for more than a few days
• Let the air conditioner. silent compressor on a hot day is a good indication that you are not home.
• Check with your enforcement agency local law. Many now offer a service where you can register to have an officer drive by your home and check for a regular shift ... and it's usually free!

Fire and water damage can also threaten your home while you are enjoying your time away to be sure to take a preventive measure some to help protect your home against these dangers:

• Disconnect everything but the refrigerator, the freezer, and the lights and radios on timers you have set.
• If possible, shut off the water to your sinks, toilets, dishwasher, washing machine and water heater.

More than half of the US population is planning a summer vacation away from home this year. If you are one of them, be sure to follow these tips and you'll be sure to have a pleasant experience - summer holidays - and safely. What other things do you do around the house to protect it while you are gone? Please share your ideas in the comments below!

As we move into the 21 ^st century, technological innovations continue to improve and become more accessible this means more and more people now own smartphones. Smartphones are more than just a weight of expensive paper in your pocket; they became a small computer in your hands. You can do everything from manage your bank account and the grocery store, to catch imaginary creatures in the park. But the more we use these mobile devices, the most sensitive data they contain and the more we need to protect them. Here are some tips to keep your smartphone and the information it contains, secure

1. Lock your phone with a PIN code, password, or pattern. this may seem like common sense, but it can prevent others from using your phone and the information it contains.
2. always download applications from trusted sites. Google Play or Apple App Store are two trusted sites for downloading applications. If you download elsewhere on the Internet, check to see if the URL beings with "https" instead of "http." The "s" means it is a secure website.
3. Remember to log out applications or websites . When you use your phone to make bank payments or an application that uses your personal information, remember to log out of your account once you have finished.
4. Beware of public Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi can be dangerous because everyone uses the same connection. A hacker can easily see what you do on your phone and can access your account and steal your information. To avoid Wi-Fi, turn off Wi-Fi setting on your phone.
5. Back up your smartphone. From your smartphone probably contains a lot of personal information, it is a good idea to back up your data. You can save your data on your personal computer at home or there are apps available to back up your data, including Verizon Cloud Ultimate Backup and Easy Backup & Restore. Of course, it is always better if you ...
6. Do not store sensitive personal information on your smartphone. avoid recording the social security numbers, credit card numbers or other sensitive personal information on your smartphone to reduce the risk of identity theft.
7. Beware of privacy settings on applications. apps Sometimes request information about you and your smartphone. You can disable or refuse these requests for help finding the location and password for your smartphone.
8. Protect your phone with antivirus and antimalware. As I noted, your phone is like a small computer so you have to take the same protection for your phone that you could your home computer. Use antivirus or antimalware applications for your phone to be broken and useless. Some good applications include 360 Security, Mobile Security AVAST and AVG AntiVirus Security .

I hope these tips will help you keep your smartphone to become more than just a weight of expensive paper! If you have ideas or additional comments on keeping your smartphone safely, please share in the comments section below.