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The Joys of Holiday Travel and Gift-Giving

December 3, 2018 By Forrest Dailey

Have you got a flight booked for a getaway for the holidays?

Have you got your Christmas shopping done?

If you aren’t that far ahead of the game yet, then there is time for you to think about a couple of things for when you do get there.

Travel insurance, and Shipping insurance.

We often wonder where the stress that is so common during the holidays comes from. If you really think about it, you’ll probably find it either comes from travel arrangements or from gift-buying and shipping arrangements. To really be able to enjoy the holidays and remove some of that stress from our lives, it is a good first step to have these types of coverage, if needed.

Some people think travel insurance is only necessary for when you are going out of the country in the event you’d need medical attention which your American insurance will not cover. But travel insurance is much more than that. Travel insurance may cover you if:

you need to cancel your trip or return from it earlier than expected. And there are wide variety of reasons why this may happen. Life is unpredictable.
you miss your flight or is cancelled (apparently only 80% of all flights were on time.
a hurricane or a terrorist attack ravages your destination city.
you lose your luggage or passport.
your cruise ship company goes out of business between the time you book the trip, and the date you were set to embark.

As with anything, it is very important that you check your travel insurance policy to make sure it covers these things. Do not assume.

As for shipping insurance – which is just travel insurance for the gifts you’re mailing out when you think about it – most major mail carriers automatically cover damaged or lost packages for up to $100 just to provide you a sense of confidence in them. So there is good news! But with Christmastime packages, the loss can easily go beyond that, and like we said, not all carriers provide this complimentary coverage.

Interestingly, just a few years ago UPS reported an on-time delivery rate of packages which was just about exactly in line with the on-time rate of all US domestic flights cited above. About 80 percent. And the other 20% of the packages were not only misdirected or late deliveries. Some of them just disappeared.

Though many of the below hinge on your package actually reaching its intended destination, there are a few ways you can avoid the chance of mishap between the seller and your front door.

Set up a camera at your front door to deter would-be thieves, or to catch them in the act should they be so bold.
Have your packages sent to your workplace, or to a friend or family member’s home at a time you know they will be there to receive it directly from the delivery person.
Some carriers will allow you to change the destination while your package is en route if your plans change.
You can schedule delivery at a certain time when you know someone will be home. Also If you know you are going on vacation and assume there will be some packages coming to your door, you can request they be held for up to 14 days.
If you have it shipped by FedEx, have packages sent to your local FedEx office. They will generally hold it for five business days, on the house.
You can request that a signature is obtained upon delivery, so you can be sure your package is not left sitting out, at risk of being stolen. You can also request that the ring your doorbell or knock on your door rather than simply leave the package at your door.

Keep these preventive measures in mind, but also check if your carrier of choice does provide the package insurance and up to what dollar amount. If they do, and the contents of your packages are less than the amount they cover then you won’t need to buy any further coverage. Then all that will be left to do is enjoy the holidays with your loved ones.

Happy Holidays to all, from Horihan Insurance!

Do You Know What’s Under the Hood of Your Car? The Answer Could Be “A Very Big Problem”.

November 1, 2018 By Forrest Dailey

You may have noticed when the weather starts to get cold, you see an influx of little invaders from outside coming into your home to escape the cold. Flies, beetles, spiders, and maybe a few millipedes.

If you’re lucky.

But if you’re not, it can also be rodents. And they will make themselves at home if you leave anything around for them to munch on that they find inviting.

Out in your garage, without proper precaution, you’ll find a similar scenario unfolding underneath the hood of your car. Only there, along with the mice and rats, you might have squirrels, raccoons, stray cats. Who knows?

In fact, right at the very moment you are reading this, some furry creature may be building its own winter fortress in your vehicle, protected from the elements and predators. It is warm and dry, and if you store bags of pet food or bird seed nearby, they’ve got no reason to leave. They literally build a nest under the hood of your vehicle out of scraps of garbage, newspaper, hair and leaves, and way more than you’d ever want to know about. And it can cause a lot of problems.

More importantly, it can cause damage that is not covered by your insurance:

Rodents can chew through the wiring in an area of your car that is very difficult to fix.
The disease and bacteria they carry and accumulate in their nests can get into the air filter in your car, putting your family’s health at risk.

Rodent damage in vehicles is usually considered by insurance companies to result from lack of upkeep, a responsibility which falls squarely on the shoulders of you, the vehicle owner. But if you have comprehensive coverage (which generally covers non-collision damages to your vehicle but is not required by law, so you’d better check if you have it!) rodent mischief could be covered.

But there are ways to make your car a less appealing option for these little stowaways.

As mentioned above, keep pet food sealed in a smell-proof container, and far away from your vehicle.
Seal up your garage in the first place, making it a fortress from rodents before it becomes a fortress for them.
If your garage is surrounded by trees, bushes, hedges and other plants, this may easily attract rodents which, if given the chance, will naturally tend to head to the garage from there when the temperature drops. If you can’t properly seal your garage, at least keep the rodents from setting up shop in the area around it.
You can set up traps or simply rodent deterrents (Example: They dislike the smell of peppermint).
Wrapping your car’s wiring in a tape that is resistant to being gnawed through.
Leave the hood up. I know it sounds counter to the goal of keeping things out of there, but if the vehicle is in the garage, then leaving the hood up will not expose it to the elements but at the same time will keep it from becoming that warm and safe spot the pests are looking for.

Enjoy the fall while it’s here, everyone. If we can help you in any way to make the coming winter a little more care-free, please give us a call at your nearest Horihan Insurance location.

Medical Insurance: Beyond the Immediate Cost

October 1, 2018 By Forrest Dailey

Medical insurance is on our minds a lot this time of year at Horihan Insurance, with the Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare beginning soon, and Marketplace Open Enrollment on the horizon.

Because we know that making decisions about health insurance coverage can be tricky for anyone, we want to provide you with a few reminders and hints to help you toward what you are looking for.

First of all, let’s just face the fact that most people just want to get down to the nitty gritty:

What’s it going to cover?
How much will it cost me?

…and there’s a lot of wisdom in that, to be sure.

But while low premiums, co-pays and deductibles are great when considering your monthly budget, it is necessary to take a much broader view to really be sure you are getting the coverage that is best for you. Even with a low premium etc., some of the following factors may cause the cost of the coverage you are considering to be more than you had expected in the long run.

Your personal health history and family health history – What medical problems are ongoing for you or are likely to arise due to genetics that could cause you to spend a lot of time and money at the doctor’s office or the hospital?
Prescriptions – Are all your current prescriptions covered by the plan you are considering?
Provider preferences – Often a health plan that seems otherwise perfect for you turns out to not have your local hospital in its network. How much of a problem will this be for you if you need to establish a relationship with a new doctor?
Travel – Does the plan cover travel insurance when you are out of the country?

Then it is important to consider benefits that are included in the health insurance package you are considering, such as:

Fitness programs – These programs can be a very effective way of holding medical problems at bay as we age. Having them covered by your insurance can be a huge incentive to use them to your fullest advantage.
Dental, vision, and hearing – Only some plans in the Health Insurance marketplace cover these things for adults.
Chiropractic services – This is covered in most health insurance plans but not all.
Acupuncture and natural medicine – Some forms of treatment are considered too experimental or alternative for the insurance company to cover.

And finally:

Often, the question of coverage revolves around whether the service or treatment is deemed “medically necessary.” So it is important to always keep account of what your needs are versus how the insurance company may see it. If you have needs that may conceivably cause you to go it on your own for a few things, then it is important to weigh that versus the cost of the plan you are considering and how much you are certain it will.
Always compare your employer-provided health insurance package with any individual/family and state/federal programs that you would qualify for first. Medicare.gov and the various health insurance carriers’ websites are also great resources when researching.

No matter where you are in your search, Horihan Insurance agents are happy to assist you as you review your options for 2019. We work with several carriers and will assist anyone of any age to find the plan that suits your unique situation best.

When It’s Time To Say Goodbye to the Summer…

August 31, 2018 By Forrest Dailey

It is getting to be that time of year again isn’t it? The temperature is working its way down, perceptibly. Twilight is coming a little earlier each evening. Soon enough you won’t be spending nearly the same amount of time out at the campground. Soon enough it will be time for preparation for the end of the season at that summer home, that little slice of heaven where you go to “get away.”

Not many people are coming from far away to “summer” (yup, that’s a verb) in Minnesota. So for the purposes of this article, what we are really talking about is a permanent cabin at the lake or along the river that is only used during the summer months.

If you are just thinking of purchasing such a place for yourself and your family or if this is your first year as a home-away-from-home owner, there are a few things you’ll need to consider.

When winter approaches, there is no denying it. But you can be prepared. And that means two things.

1) Cleaning, securing, weatherproofing and closing up your place for the winter, and

2) making sure you have it insured just the right amount for the upcoming portion of the year when it will not be occupied.

Let’s talk about that dreaded time when you resign yourself to the reality of the coming winter.

Get your carpet, floors and windows cleaned at the end of the season. Not only will all the dirt and sand and grass you dragged in throughout the summer be one final reminder of all of the good times you had over the summer, but you’ll thank yourself when next summer comes around and all there is to be done is enjoy.

For the same reason, if this summer home has heating and air, this is a good time to clean out the air ducts so they are ready for next year.

Weather sealing is just as important, if not more important, for that summer home which you’ll be absent from for half the year. It is also about keeping the elements out and keep the pipes from freezing while you’re away.

As for the outdoor area of the property, always be sure to clear away any large branches or other debris from the yard to prevent any damage during a storm that may come up while you are away.

After that, all there is left to do is turn out the lights, shut everything down and lock up.

What about insurance?

Since we already talked about that final end-of-summer clean-up, remember cleaning out the place also means packing up valuable possessions that you do not need to leave there. Just like your primary home, the insurance on your vacation home covers the items therein and the premium can be lowered, accordingly.

If it is in a remote location not easily accessible for fire prevention, that will make it more expensive. Same thing if it is in a location that leaves it susceptible to wind or water damage. If it is you’ll want to look into additional coverage that is not included in your basic homeowner’s policy.

Just the fact that it is unoccupied for long stretches of time leave it susceptible to damage that goes undetected and unfixed, and leaves it more open to break-ins. Some insurance companies will consider whether you have someone tending to the property or checking in on it while you are away, to determine what your premium will be. Many comes will give a break if you also do business with them on your primary home. Of course you always want to take advantage of an opportunity to bundle.

Other than these unique factors, the premium is determined the same way; cost of replacement, deductible, etc.

The cost of insuring your vacation home can be brought down by installing an alarm system, deadbolts, sprinkler systems etc., which, honestly tend to cost more than the savings in premium but they will prevent major claims which in the long run will save you from premiums going through the roof.

This article is directly related to the off-season. During the summer you may have a boat, other water craft or ATVs that you use at your summer home which leave you open to all sorts of liabilities, that you can cover with your existing liability insurance. That is something you will want to discuss in more depth with a Horihan Insurance agent. And if you happen to rent your second home out during what for you is the “off season” then you’ll need to discuss that in more depth as well. We are here to go over all of the ins and outs of the coverage on your vacation home. Meantime, enjoy what is left of the warm weather!

The Joys of Holiday Travel and Gift-Giving

Do You Know What’s Under the Hood of Your Car? The Answer Could Be “A Very Big Problem”.

Medical Insurance: Beyond the Immediate Cost

When It’s Time To Say Goodbye to the Summer…

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