Affordable Health Plans for Cooley Law Students
Some time ago, a book was written by Stephen Covey. The title was "7 Habits of Highly Effective People". One of the habits that seemed so obvious to me, but I had never thought about it, was to start with the end in mind. All too often, we find it easier to go with the flow. Never really checking to see if the flow is where we want to end up. Sett...
Read More »
Dave Drayton was recently recognized for professional leadership and advanced knowledge by the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC). Dave was awarded a certificate marking more than 25 years of participation as a designated CIC, which requires annual completion of advanced education and training. He has been granted the status of "Tenur...
An old joke from New England is that a traveler stops at a farm and asks the farmer, "Will this road take me to Manchester?" the farmer responds, "That road will take you wherever you want to go." The moral is: if you don't have a roadmap or a plan, any road will get you there. So, each of us needs to determine what's important. What are...
Besides death and taxes, you can be assured you'll always have some problems to deal with. It's a fact of life. It's not the problems that differentiate us, it's how we handle those problems. To get ahead in life, you need to be a problem solver.
Given the significant and profound changes which occurred all over the globe in 2011, it can be helpful to review where we have been to see where we need to go. 2012 could be a very pivotal year. The economic forces at play in various parts of the world could propel us forward or cause us to slide backwards. How well prepared are you to move forwa...
As the U.S. health coverage environment evolves, especially after The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA), workers are increasingly turning to voluntary employee benefits to supplement certain coverage. Voluntary benefits can offer additional financial security to employees, with no direct costs incurred by employers. Employ...
One might logically assume that because it’s colder in the winter and you spend less time outdoors, that wearing sunscreen isn’t something to be worried about. Surprisingly, the sun is actually closer to the earth during the winter, and its damaging rays are more powerful. Though you may be outside less, your face and hands are still exposed to the...
The time period between Christmas and New Year's has traditionally been, at least for many people, the time to contemplate New Year's resolutions. I'm not sure who in my family first impressed in my mind "it's not the problems we have that differentiate us, it's how we handle those problems that differentiate us." Our legislators at both the feder...
Surprise! A 600% surcharge. Alice LaDuke’s story is compelling. The 83 year old Potterville resident took to the streets, literally, after her homeowners policy increased from $585 to $4,092. Wearing a sandwich-board sign, Alice marches up and down the sidewalks outside her insurance carrier’s corporate office in an effort to call at...
I'm sure you have heard the expression "You cannot know how someone feels until you walk a mile in their shoes." During this holiday season or, actually, any time of the year, perform a civic duty by helping out at a local soup kitchen or food bank. Not only will you be helping those organizations, but hopefully you will come away with a feeling a...
As I explained in a previous post about personal umbrella policies, our society becomes increasingly litigious during tough economic times. Another byproduct we see of high gas prices, high unemployment, and the general trend of people leaving rural areas for urban areas is that more and more people are choosing to go car-less. Maybe you use ...
With the holidays approaching, people are buzzing, beeping and singing about the new technology gifts out this year. These days, most companies run on technology, using it to store and process client data, run online advertising campaigns, and buy or sell products and services. Suppose your organization collects private information from clients (...
You look outside in the morning, and see ominous dark clouds rolling in. Logically, you think to yourself, I better take my umbrella with me today, or maybe you already have one stored in your car or purse. Chances are, you aren’t scrambling to buy one before you get drenched. Umbrellas are easily affordable, aren’t hard to maintain, and are unbeli...
A recent study by Kellogg found that while over half of American adults say they would like to eat breakfast, about 70% skip the most important meal of the day. Worse yet, while 77% of preschool and elementary children are fed breakfast, only 50% of middle schoolers and only 36% of high school students eat breakfast daily. So, we seem to understand...
W. Edwards Deming has long been considered the father of continuous improvement. He is perhaps best known for his work in Japan. What many people fail to recognize is Deming, while he focused on organizations, also spoke about people. The first step in his philosophy was the transformation of the individual. The individual must continue to ch...
As we approach the holidays, many businesses are planning on celebrating with parties and get-togethers for staff and clients. If your business will be serving alcohol at an event, be sure your insurance coverage will protect you in case of an alcohol-related incident. Most Commercial General Liability Policies contain Host Liquor Liability covera...
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I'm sure many of you are preparing to celebrate the holiday with family and friends and perhaps wait in line for the after-Thanksgiving sales. Unfortunately, insurance claims are more common during the holidays. Let's start with a few facts: Over 500 fires from deep frying a turkey have been reported,...
In our previous column we explored the importance of insuring your home to full replacement cost. While that may be one of the most commonly asked questions, another difficult question arises from a heartbreaking, and unfortunately frequent situation. While losing your home or experiencing an auto accident are certainly dangerous and devastating, t...
Alvin Toffler wrote a book in the 1970s called Future Shock. When I read the book, about the only thing I can recall was that he said it wasn't change that people would object to, it would be the rapid pace of change. I now understand what he was saying. So how does Madonna fit into this? Well, Madonna, through her career, has ...
With the property market still sliding down its slump, this is easily one of the most common questions I receive as an agent. There could be two parts to the question, but the answer is the same. Let’s consider this scenario: You purchased your home with a mortgage for $200,000 ten years ago. Now, after making all those payments I’m sure you rememb...
For many of us who have been lucky enough to avoid collisions or roadside emergencies, it may seem easy to think of what to do. Get out of the road, call 9-1-1, get the other person’s information. But what if you’re scrambling to write on a napkin, or don’t really know what to ask? What if it’s freezing outside and you’re lost? Make sure you’re pre...
Welcome to Emily’s Corner! I would like to introduce myself as the newest member of the Lyman & Sheets team. With over two years of experience as a licensed agent, and almost 10 years of customer service experience, I am pleased to offer myself as a source of advice and knowledge to my clients. From resolving coverage gaps, or maybe even ...
So much attention is spent looking at medical benefits and ways to reduce costs, stop inflation and increase employee satisfaction, we sometimes take our eye off other benefits or what I like to call “ancillary” benefits. Although not as high profile as medical coverages, ancillary coverages such as dental, life, disability, accident and crit...
With the announcement of many insurance companies’ third quarter results, it appears that insurance premiums will be on the rise, or at least not reduced, in 2012. Companies and individuals who have had significant losses or many small losses may anticipate an increase in premiums or in some cases maybe even a cancellation notice. Traveler...
A few weeks ago, high winds knocked down a dozen trees along the road we live on, breaking three poles holding electrical lines which supplied power to our farm. We have a standby generator, so we were not without power for very long. Our family did do one unique thing after normal electrical service was restored. We sat down and ma...
The Health Insurance Claims Assessment Act will impose a new 1% tax on paid health care claims. This tax, which takes effect on January 1, 2012, will be paid by insurers that provide fully-insured plans, and by third party claims administrators in the case of self-funded plans. The tax is intended to help fund Michigan's Medicaid program and will b...
When interacting with others in the sales process, a good salesperson will analyze the personality buying style of the potential client. For example, if you're selling to an accountant or CPA, they usually like to have reams of data or information to help support their decision to buy from you. Thus, knowing your buyer's personality style can assis...
Organizations and businesses often do not understand the significant exposure they have with Hired and Non-Owned Auto Liability. Many believe that they do not need Commercial Auto coverage if they do not own vehicles. However, all business organizations have an exposure to loss when employees or volunteers use their own personal vehicles...
Driving an average of 35,000 miles a year, one learns to become aware of his surroundings at all times. Radios, cell phones and eating are all distractions that can cost you money or your life. Many times, just knowing where I am in relation to other vehicles has saved me from being in an accident. If your employees drive on behalf of your b...
Relationships are the trump cards in selling. Someone once said, "you need at least three of the four aces to make a new sale." What are the four aces? First is coverage. Second is service. Third is price. And fourth, and most important, and the card that trumps the first three aces, is relationship. A good salesperson will focus on qualifying th...
"Your fame will always precede you" is an expression someone shared with me early in my business career. I once spoke to my father about ethics and business and asked him how he decided what was ethical or not. He told me he used a simple rule of thumb; If he could go home and explain the situation to his wife and children and feel good about hims...
Hurricane Irene caught many businesses unprepared when the storm turned inland and wreaked havoc on many parts of New England. Most businesses as well as state and local governments were not prepared for a disaster on the scale of Irene. Irene's heavy rains caused the kind of severe flooding that had not been seen in New England for a very long ti...
Every year employers look for ways to reduce and control their employee benefit expenditures, especially for medical coverage. For the most part, when it comes to medical coverage employers increase deductibles or co-pays without really studying alternative plan designs to reduce costs and increase benefits to employees. Cost shifting to empl...
The fourth of the five Es is empathy. According to Webster's Dictionary, this is the capacity for participating in another's feelings or ideas. This is a highly desirable trait in just about any field of endeavor. The ability to share feelings and ideas that are often abstract and complex is truly a gift. Some people have this more than others and...
Last week, I went into detail about the speicific parts of Ordinance or Law coverage. Click here to read the article. When considering the need for the Ordinance or Law coverage, building owners should also consider the effect that the new codes or laws will have on the time it will take to repair or replace the building. Under a no...
Education is the third of the five Es. This is the key to moving up the food chain. The interesting thing about education, the more you get, the more you really realize how much you need. It's a continuous process; it will never stop. Change is inevitable, and what frustrates most people is the rapid pace of change. Education prepares you an...
Last week, I discussed the importance of Ordinance and Law Coverage for older buildings. Click here to read the article. As I mentioned in my previous entry, Ordinance and Law Coverage has three basic parts. The specific coverages provided under this endorsement are: Coverage A - Loss to the Undamaged Portion of the Building - If part of ...
Do you own a home or commercial building that is more than 10 years old? If so, you may be at risk if your building is damaged and has to be repaired. Say your building is damaged and you have insurance, you think you are all set to go, pay your deductible and get started on the repairs, right? Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Before t...
There are many situations in which an employee drives his or her personal auto to perform a business-related task or activity. They may be traveling between worksites, visiting clients, transporting clients, traveling home from work-related events and even making quick stops to pick up food for a meeting. In some cases, even making a work-rel...
Being a morning person and early riser, I think most people would consider me a high energy person. Energy is the second E of the Five Es that we look for in sales. Energy is very important. Most good salespeople are high energy people. They are excited to get up in the morning and want to get to work because they are driven. Energy can ...
If you travel outside of the United States and Canada and want to rent an automobile, you'll need to take special consideration when it comes to insurance. Your personal automobile policy in the United States most likely will not respond, as coverage is typically confined to the U.S. and Canada. However, there are other options available to you as...
In an earlier post, I shared the story of how I got a job with McLaren Racing. Click here to see the entry: How I Got into Sales. When I was working for McLaren Racing, I quickly figured out who made the money: the car owner and the car driver. It certainly wasn't me, a college student and mechanic. One of the attributes of a good sales...
Refrigeration systems have been utilized to the extreme during this hot weather. If these systems fail, it's important to know if your insurance will adequately protect your business. If you have food of significant value in walk-in freezers, you should consider adding coverage for food spoilage. A recent example involves the Mid-Michiga...
I've always been amazed by people who knew what they wanted out of life. They always seemed focused and knew what direction they were headed in. Looking back, I never consciously considered a sales career. I can now see that subconsciously, I discovered that sales was where I was headed. Spring Break of my freshman year of college, I eng...
Last week, we talked about what you should do if you come out of a store to find your car damaged. But, what if you saw the incident or have witnesses who saw the person who damaged your car? If you can determine who hit your parked vehicle, try to obtain their license plate number and a description of the vehicle and the driver. If possible, take...
Unfortunately, many of us have been in this situation before. You walk out of the grocery store or mall and find that someone has hit and damaged your car! What should you do? If possible, go back into the store you were visiting and report the fact that your car has been hit. If you're in a mall with a security service, contact security to...
Today your risk of becoming involved in a construction defect claim is greater than ever. Advances in construction are enabling the design and construction of buildings that are more attractive and less costly. However, many of these advances have yet to be tested in real application. Types of construction defects: Design Defici...
With the floods in North Dakota splashed across the news daily, we find ourselves more aware of how damaging water can be. While the situation in Minot can be clearly defined as a "flood", many water claims do not meet that definition. Typical water damage claims result from: Sump pump failures Backup of sewers and drains Damage t...
The U2 concert planned this weekend in East Lansing brings enormous economic opportunity, revenue, energy, and enthusiasm to the Mid-Michigan community. In addition, it brings assorted liability exposures. While Spartan Stadium is accustomed to hosting large public events, it's important to note that an organization's liability exposures may incre...
With the increased frequency of data breach stories in the news recently, we've been getting questions about what specific terms mean. Here is a brief guide to data breach terms: Data Breach - The unauthorized release of nonpublic information. At least 37 states have laws that mandate certain requirements once a data breach is discover...
Simply put, reinsurance is the insurance purchased by insurance companies. There are two types of reinsurance: facultative and treaty. Facultative is reinsurance for a specific account, such as the Mackinac Bridge. Treaty reinsurance is on a class of business an insurance company sells, such as homeowners insurance. All insurance companies pur...
