The difficult discussion?
The important discussion!

According to LIMRA’s 2010 Life Insurance Ownership Study, a study that’s conducted every six years, many U.S. households are underinsured:

• Only 44 percent of U.S. households have individual life insurance.
• Half of U.S. households (58 million) say they need more life insurance.
• Among households with children under age 18, arguably those with the greatest need for life insurance, 11 million have no life insurance coverage.

Many families find life insurance a difficult subject to discuss, so they avoid it. Perhaps discussing the possibility of a spouse’s unexpected death is uncomfortable, but talking about life insurance is critical to the whole family. Here are some tips that may help you start the discussion and keep it on track:

• Talk before you’re in a financial crisis — Pick a time when you are both relaxed and keep it positive. Try to discuss it as you would any other family issue or aspect of your financial planning.
• Make a plan or revise your existing plan — Incorporate life insurance into your overall financial strategy — in fact, you may want to consider making it a primary component.  
• Set a monthly budget — Determine what you can afford and call me. I can work with you so you can determine a realistic strategy that you can stick to.

Although the subject may be difficult or awkward, talking about life insurance may be one of the most important discussions to have. And call me to learn more about the life insurance options that may help protect your family’s future.

Life insurance issued by Farmers New World Life Insurance Company, Mercer Island, WA 98040

Ways to help make your new home safer

Moving is both exhilarating and exhausting — but amid the hectic activity, I hope you’ll remember to locate or restock basic safety supplies. Equipping your home with easy-to-find safety products may help keep you, your family, your property and your possessions safe in case of an emergency.

• Smoke detectors — In the event of a fire, a smoke alarm may help save your life and those of your loved ones by providing an early warning signal so you and your family can escape to safety. There are two basic types of detectors: ionization and photoelectric.
  • Ionization alarms sound more quickly when a flaming, fast moving fire occurs.
  • Photoelectric alarms are quicker at sensing smoldering, smoky fires.
  • Dual sensor smoke alarms combine ionization and photoelectric into one unit.
  
  Because ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms are each better at detecting distinctly different yet potentially fatal fires, the U.S. Fire Administration recommends the installation of both ionization and photoelectric or dual sensor smoke alarms.¹
• Fire extinguishers — For the home, an “ABC” dry chemical fire extinguisher is typically recommended because it can put out the three most common types of home fires: wood and paper fires (class “A”), grease and oil fires (class “B”), and electrical fires (class “C”).²
• Carbon monoxide detectors — Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly, colorless, odorless, poisonous gas produced by the incomplete burning of various fuels such as coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, propane, and natural gas. Consider installing CO alarms in the hallway near every separate sleeping area of the home. Make sure the alarm cannot be covered up by furniture or draperies.
• First aid kit — Be prepared in the event of an injury with a well-stocked first aid kit. You can purchase one or visit the Red Cross for a list of supplies.
• Emergency kit — In case of severe weather or a natural disaster, prepare an emergency kit with food and supplies to help keep your family comfortable for 72 hours. The Federal Emergency Management Agency suggests this list of supplies.

Always look for an independent testing laboratory’s mark of approval to be sure the product meets established safety standards. And call me so you can be sure you have the coverage you want for your new home and possessions should an unexpected loss occur.

¹Source: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/alarms/
²Source: http://www.fire-extinguisher101.com/