Outdoor Haven

Getting married? There’s a lot you need to think of both before and after the wedding, but in all the planning, one of the things that is often overlooked is your insurance insurance needs. Have you notified your insurance agent about your plans? He or she can be one of your best friends! For example, as a couple, you may be eligible for auto discounts or a savings on health insurance. You may also want to secure life insurance, and should be sure to change the beneficiaries on any key insurance or savings plans that you do have. The Insurance Information Insituitue (III) offers a handy checklist of insurance considerations for married couples. You should also ask your agent about wedding insurance to protect your investment in the big day, particularly if you are planning a big celebration. Wedding insurance is a type of special event insurance designed provide financial protection for various problems that could arise, such as the need to cancel or postpone due to weather or n...

You can be forgiven if you think there is a zombie apocalypse going on. In almost any given public space, crowds of people are wandering around in a transfixed state. Don’t be alarmed, they are just playing Pokemon Go, the new augemented reality phone game craze that’s sweeping the nation. Check out this brief but amusing video clip of Pokemon Go players at Central Park! On the upside, Pokemon is an unexpected source of health: many people are gaming their way to fitness. Pokemon are little Japanese monsters that you are supposed to catch – made popular in video games by Nintendo. Now, there’s a new augmented reality version that you can download and play on your phone.  Instead of simply chasing down the monsters on a video screen, you must go out to find and capture the collection of 100+ monsters in a real-world scavenger hunt. In the short time since the game’s release on July 6, it’s taken the world by storm… and it’s having an unintended side effect for many … it is in...

There’s a lot of frozen money out there that no one is claiming .. it’s in the billions. Some put the figure as high as $40 billion! Is any of it yours? Some of it could be if you’ve ever moved to another state or to another residence; if you’ve changed your name; if you’ve forgotten about a small bank account or a few shares of stock; or if a distant relative left you something in a life insurance policy or will. Here are some of the most common forms of unclaimed money: ◾Inactive bank accounts, both checking and savings ◾Unfound life insurance or other account beneficiaries ◾Tax refunds that were misdirected ◾Unreturned utility deposits and escrow accounts ◾Refunds and credits ◾Stocks, mutual funds, bonds, and dividends ◾Uncashed checks and wages ◾Insurance policies, CDs, trust funds ◾Unredeemed money orders or travelers checks ◾Unclaimed safe deposit boxes If you’d like to check to see if there is any unclaimed money due you, here’s a tip: The best place to start is Mis...

It’s sad and shocking to see the devastation in Italy from the recent earthquakes in Italy and the widespread flooding in Louisiana. Natural catastrophes are always difficult, particularly when there is heavy loss of life and when the devastation is severe enough to cause severe dislocation and change the character of a place. Our hearts go out to victims – we’ve listed some relief efforts at the end of this post. When disasters occur, it’s also human nature to wonder: could it happen here? Let’s take a look. New England & earthquakes  While some regions are more geographically disposed to certain catastrophic events like earthquakes, they can indeed happen anywhere. Most of the recent New England earthquakes have been minor, but we can and have experienced more severe quakes, such as the 1755 earthquake off Cape Ann, which registered at more than 6.0. While the odds are in our favor, experts say that the chance of a damaging earthquake in New England is not zero....

It’s getting to be that time of year… back-to-school season! Over the years, we’ve posted lots of advice for parents and students of all ages. In this post, we’ll offer some of our best back-to-school posts, with a few new resources thrown in. College planning Kids heading off to college? Double check insurance coverage first – we talk about homeowners/renters, auto, ID theft, tuition insurance and stand-alone policies for electronics. College survival guide: Safety tips, what to pack, dorm hacks – a handy list of checklists from safety & security to eating healthy in a dorm. ID theft is on the upswing and college students are at high risk – common types of fraud, resources to avoid ID theft or deal with it if it happens, and information on identity theft insurance. Rental Insurance for the College Graduate – we suggest this as a gift for recent graduates, but it is as valid for students who will be renting. The post talks about myths, checklists and what y...