Christmas trees: Trimming the tree is the main decorating event in many households, but the tree can become a fire hazard if it’s dried out. Remember to replenish the water in your tree stand on a daily basis, so that your tree remains healthy and hydrated for the duration of the holiday season. (Also, check out this article for more Christmas tree safety tips.)
Holiday foliage: Poinsettias, holly, Jerusalem cherries, and mistletoe are all toxic if ingested. If you have pets or small children in the house, avoid using these decorations or opt for the artificial versions.
Artificial snow: If you’re longing for a white Christmas, spraying windows with artificial snow can give your house a frosty glow – even if you live in a warm climate. However, spray-on snow can irritate your lungs, so make sure to follow the directions carefully and only use the spray in well-ventilated areas.
Fireplaces: Adorning the mantle with garlands, stockings, and other decorations is a holiday tradition in many households, but keep these trimmings clear of working fireplaces. You should also be careful when using fire salts, which produce colored flames, since they are highly toxic if ingested.
Lights: Before hanging lights indoors or outdoors, check the strings for cracked sockets, broken bulbs, or frayed/bare wires. Also, only use lights that are approved by a national testing lab, such as UL or ETL/ITSNA. Do not use electric lights on metallic trees because faulty lights can cause branches to become charged and possibly electrocute someone. If you’re using outdoor lights, make sure they are approved for that use and plugged into a ground-fault circuit interrupter device.
Candles: Flickering candlelight can give your home a cozy, warm glow, but candles cause more than 11,000 fires every year, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. If you’re using candles to decorate for the holidays, keep a close eye on them when they’re lit, and don’t leave the room without extinguishing the flames. Never put a lit candle on a tree.

About three-quarters of seniors and disabled people in New Mexico have been paying $96.40 a month for the Part B federal health-insurance program for the past three years. New enrollees—mainly people who turned 65 in 2009, 2010 or 2011—have been paying $115.40 a month. They will see their premiums decrease.

Medicare trustees predicted earlier this year they would boost premiums by up to $10 a month for most beneficiaries.

A law prevents most Medicare premiums from rising if Social Security payouts stay flat, which has been the case since 2009. The premiums paid by those not in a high-income category have been frozen for three years because of the law.

But the Social Security Administration said last week that recipients will see a 3.6% cost-of-living increase in their checks next year. That allowed Medicare’s costs to be spread across more recipients, not just those with higher incomes.

Individuals in the higher-income group—individuals who make over $85,000 a year, or couples earning over $170,000 a year—pay higher Medicare contributions, and paid larger premiums in each of the past three years to make up for the freeze for lower-income recipients. Their premiums will fall next year.

“As Insurance Connection continues to grow and expand in New Mexico and the other cities the agency serves, it’s important to only hire employees who will provide excellent customer service to the agency’s clients,” said Bob Garrison, Insurance Connection’s managing director. “Erika certainly has all the qualities this agency requires for its clients.”

Cook, who resides with her family, has a Master’s degree in clinical psychology from Argosy University and a Master’s degree in counseling from the University of Phoenix. She is a licensed agent.

Insurance Connections other offices are in Dallas Texas; and Seattle, Wash.

For more information about Insurance Connection New Mexico, please go to http://www.insuranceconnectionusa.com or call 800-732-0249.

About Insurance Connection New Mexico

Insurance Connection New Mexico is a company assisting individuals and small companies to find appropriate and affordable insurance for their health, life, home and auto needs. The company’s mission is to provide clients accurate information they can use to choose the best insurance plans for their needs.

Preparing for a vacation this summer? As you make travel plans, plan also to protect your personally identifiable information to avoid the theft and misuse of your identity. Here, are a few tips to reduce your risk of becoming a victim of identity theft when traveling or on vacation:

Don’t announce your travel plans on social networking websites. You may want to share your excitement about upcoming travel plans or post photos and updates from your destination, but best practice is to wait until you return home to mention the trip on any of your social networking sites.

Put a hold on your mail and newspapers. Letting mail and newspapers pile up while you are away is a sign to others that you are away, apparently for an extended time, which could invite theft of your mail or a home burglary. Contact your post office and paper deliverer to put a hold on these items while you are away.

If you don’t need it, don’t bring it. Remember, thieves can’t steal what you don’t have. Remove any credit card or account information you won’t use on your trip. Leave your Social Security card at home, as well. Then, make photocopies of the personal material in your wallet: driver’s license, credit cards, insurance cards, etc.—front and back—and store those copies in a safe place. Should your wallet be lost or stolen, you won’t be left wondering what was actually taken, and you’ll be able to quickly notify the appropriate agencies about what was taken.

Insurance Connection USA offers Identity theft protection insurance, call us if you would like more information.

Umbrella policies supply extra coverage in the event of a lawsuit. Just as umbrellas shield you from rain, umbrella policies protect you from losing the entirety of your wealth and assets. These policies supplement your personal policies by covering beyond the limits of liability associated with those policies. Also, you chose how much more it covers; typically starting around $1 million.

Insurance agents need you to have advanced limits of liability on the entirety of your personal policies before they offer the option of an umbrella policy. Typically, the limits of liability needed are $250,000 for bodily injury protection per person and $500,000 per accident. This may vary, so check with an insurance agent in Dallas to find what the specific requirements are.

Let’s look at an example of an umbrella policy in action. John Doe swerves to avoid an obstacle on a busy highway and causes an accident. Though everyone survives, many are severely hurt and the sum of the medical bills climbs to $800,000. John Doe’s insurance only covers $500,000, but has an umbrella policy. The umbrella policy comes into play and covers the remaining $300,000.

Umbrella policies are not for everyone. It is uncommon for the average person to have one in place and it may not be worth it for them to carry a policy such as this. Umbrella policies are mainly recommended to people or businesses in possession of considerable assets.

Is an umbrella policy right for you or your business? Did we leave you with even more questions about umbrella policies? Talk to your Insurance Connection USA agent today and you can learn even more about umbrella policies and how they could benefit you.