Lost Cash Looking for Owner

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What would you do if three-thousand dollars fell from the sky?

This Tuesday a pile of bills adding up to $3200 dollars showed up at a local recycling plant in Sunnyvale, California. Reports are pouring in from across California and the rest of the country about misplaced cash stuffed in boxes, pantries, and cans of shaving cream.

It’s up to the police to sift through the competing claims and find one that can be fully proven, otherwise the money will be placed in the city’s general fund. The excitement around this story demonstrates just how rare it is for money to “fall from the sky.” True wealth is built up slowly and steadily. Talk to us, your local agent about how you can save money on your insurance premiums today and keep your belongings more secure than a stash of cash.

Canine Rescue

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80 year-old Paul Paff can now be sure that dogs really are “man’s best friend.”

The elderly man had a close call on September 22 when he went to inspect the septic tank behind his house. “I had seen this square hole. I knew it was above the septic tank and looked up and was trying to look into it,” he recalled, right before the ground beneath him collapsed, sending him to the bottom of a 15-foot well.

After hours of being stuck knee-deep in cold mud and water Paff heard the sound of a dog barking. He barked back, trying to get the dog’s attention. Eventually the dog was able to alert neighbors who brought rescue personnel to the scene.

True Love

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How much are parents worth? For newly-married Julie Robson the answer would be “priceless.”

While most of us appreciate and love our parents, very few have received a kidney transplant from a parent. After receiving a kidney transplant from her father 10 years ago, Julie’s body rejected it on the eve of her wedding. Rather than having to endure dialysis for the rest of her life, Julie was able to receive a second transplant from her mother.

Julie was able to re-schedule her wedding and the surgery was a great success. Thanks to medical science and a lot of love, she will be able to enjoy her life. The love of a parent is always priceless. Our local agency can’t offer you that kind of love, but we can promise to be there when life is unexpected. Give us a call today and ask about how our competitive insurance rates can help your family.

Fighting Cancer

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Not all stem cells are good cells. Researchers have recently found a way to target harmful stem cells in patients suffering from breast cancer.

Using chemotherapy and a newly developed drug the team at Baylor College of Medicine is finding that relapses can be better prevented by targetting these cancer-causing stem cells instead of just the main tumors. Studies in mice and a small group of women have shown the promise of this technique.

Curing breast-cancer won’t happen all at once, but hopefully these breakthroughs mark another step forward in battling this enemy.

Boy’s Best Friend

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Dog’s have long been called “man’s best friend.” Austin Foreman’s dog, Angel, has certainly earned the title of “boy’s best friend.”

The 11-year old was moving firewood on his parent’s property in the small town of Boston Bar, British Columbia, when his golden retriever became agitated. She began running around in circles. A cougar soon appeared. Angel intercepted the predator and fought it while Austin ran inside. The local RCMP Constable soon responded to the situation and was able to kill the cougar. Miraculously, Angel survived. The loyal canine is expected to make a full recovery.

Dogs are wonderful animals, but before purchasing one be sure you know about its breed. Some breeds are not insurable through your homeowner or renters policy. Other breeds can be very high maintanence and may be more of a hassle than you originally thought. If you want to know more about this topic, please call us, your local insurance agency, today.

Jump-Rope Record

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Jumping rope just got a lot more exciting for tens of thousands of California elementary school students. On February 1st, a coordinated effort by the California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and over 2,000 schools challenged a Guinness World Record for jump-roping. Over 85,000 people jumped rope simultaneously in the same 10-minute span.

Students who had been practicing for months were excited for the challenge and did put forth a great effort. The real payoff, however, won’t be a place in the record books. With childhood obesity continuing to be a major problem, developing positive excercise habits at a young age is key.

A Helping Hand in Houston

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Americans love to give and now Taiwanese-Americans in the Bay Area are finding an urgent cause to give to their friends and distant relatives in Taiwan.

Typhoon Morakot devasted the small island nation of Taiwan for a three-day period earlier this August. The local population experienced horrific mudslides, flooding, and more than 400 deaths. The typhoon reached record limits and is considered the worst typhoon to hit the island in 50 years.

The Taiwanese-American Center in San Jose is focused on raising half a million dollars to aid victims of the typhoon, mainly through benefit concerts. Caring for those in need is a universal urge, and their efforts should be applauded. When disaster strikes, people want to know that they can be helped so that life can return to normal. Talk to us, your local agent and ask us about how you can be ready for the next big flood or storm in your area; don’t expect the worst, but do expect quality service and a helping hand when things get rough.

A year after Ike, are you ready?

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Hurricane Season has begun, and severe weather will threaten most areas located along the Gulf Coast. The National Weather Center is predicting at least 15 named storms this year. Due to the unpredictable nature of hurricanes and tropical storms, it is imperative to have a plan now to protect your home, family and pets. Even though the season has been slow so far things are changing fast. Some of the United States worst hurricane seasons started off slow.

Hurricane Ike made everyone realize that we need to be more prepared when trying to evacuate before the storm and survive after. To start your Tropical Storm plan you need to have multiple evacuation routes or a place to stay. It is good to know where the nearest official shelter and Red Cross are in case you need help before, during and after a storm. Always think about your animals and make sure you have a place for them to go in case you can’t take them with you.

It is always good to have a “Go Bag” of items that are a necessity for survival for you and your family. Your “Go Bag” should be able to be taken with you at any time you need to evacuate the home. Some of the items in my “Go Bag” are a first aid kit, flashlight, lighters, knife, clean drinking water, non perishable food, any medications and a battery operated radio. My “Go Bag” is in the closet and all I need to add is food, water, prescriptions and any important documents, and I am ready to go. My animals have their own “Go Bag” loaded up with leashes and a small first aid kit. The only items I will need to add to their bag is food, water and prescriptions. The “Go Bag” can be a plastic storage bin or even a backpack. Make sure you don’t get to big of a storage bin that you can’t carry it easily.

When your family makes the decision to not evacuate it is good to have enough supplies for up to a week per person. Each person in your home will need one gallon of clean drinking water per day and plenty of food. Make sure and have some tools in a place you can find them. You’ll never know when you might need to make a quick fix to keep the house together. Remember, the electricity will probably be out so you will need a manual can opener, a lighter for cooking and a lantern or flashlight. Mosquito and bug spray will be ideal since you will probably be outdoors cleaning up debris. We can not rely on the Red Cross and Government to provide food and water to everyone. Be prepared!

Today, you need to read your flood and home policies to understand the coverage. Flood and home insurance does not cover everything you think it does. Make sure your insurance amounts are based on the current reconstruction cost. A 2,000 square foot home might sell for $135,000 but would need coverage at $175,000 or higher to be reconstructed. Remember the insurance company is not going to buy your home but they are going to remove all debris and reconstruct the home with new materials. Many agents are selling people inferior policies just to make some money. Make sure you know what is going on with your insurance.
Now is the time!

3000 miles to a World Record

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Few would dare to undertake a voyage around the world. Fewer still would be confident in their teenage son taking aim at the record for the youngest solo sailing trip around the world.

Mike Perham, a 16 year-old from England with immense talent and ambition, is seeking to break a recent record set by a young American, Zac Sunderland. Mike isn’t undertaking his trip solely for glory, however. He’s using the trip as a fundraising tool for two of his favorite charities (see Mike’s blog for more details).

Mike is a veteran yachtsman and despite delays he is now only 15 days from completing his global voyage and making a mark in the record books.

Reaching for your goals isn’t easy, but with hard-work and support it can be done. Talk to us, your local agent, about your dreams. Whatever they are, we’ll be there by your side, protecting what matters so that you can reach your goals.

Living Well – Houston Insurance Policies

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Good friends can be hard to come by, but Fredericksburg, Virginia, resident Larry Haubner has friends willing to make sure he spends the rest of his long life in comfort.

Larry is a senior citizen who maintains a vigorous excercise routine. More precisely Larry is 107 years old, and almost too healthy for his own good. Social security and money from his life savings kept him comfortably housed at Greenfield Assisted Living until 2007. Larry’s friends and the community rallied to make up the difference.

Today Larry faces a similar crisis as the previous fundraising has run dry. This time the community has expanded the call to the internet andFacebook.

Larry’s story is a reminder that while life can be short, friendships can be enduring. Larry has touched many lives through his warm personality and charm and now his life is benefiting from the generosity of others. Life should be about spending time with those who care about you, not worrying about your finances. Get in touch with us, your local agency, today and we’ll help you wherever you’re at, so you can stop worrying and start living again.