Shaw Insurance Services

12/12/2023

Thank you to Shaw Insurance Services for supporting Hospice!

11/14/2022

Shaw Insurance Services has been serving northern California since 1998, providing quality insurance to Anderson and beyond.

We thank them for their sponsorship of Hospice at St. Elizabeth Community Hospital for Home for the Holidays!

01/31/2019

When many people think of long-term care (LTC), the first thing that comes to mind is a nursing home. While long term care insurance can be used to offset nursing home care costs, it can also be used in variety of other situations, such as paying for in-home care. Long-term care insurance is designed to help pay for care that may be needed on a daily basis for an extended period of time. It goes beyond the scope of coverage provided by typical medical insurance.
Whether you are living at home, in an assisted living facility, or in a nursing home, you may benefit from long-term care insurance. However, the catch is that you want to start planning ahead before you need these services. Rates are often based on your age, health, and income when you apply. If you wait until you are in poor health or have serious medical needs, you may not qualify for coverage, or may pay a significant premium. Many advisors recommend individuals start investing in long-term care insurance in their 50s, before they hit retirement age.
The average life expectancy of both men and women has increased, and many people are living into their 80s, 90s, and even 100s. There is no way of knowing whether you will need long-term care benefits or not, but it is often better to err on the side of caution and have them just in case.
You don’t want to wait until these issues arise to start thinking about LTC insurance, because by then it may be too late to qualify for affordable coverage, or coverage at all. Start planning ahead by contacting us today.

01/23/2019

As is the case with most household appliances, modern technological advancements can result in massive improvements. There are significant benefits to installing a tankless water heater in your home.


You can save money on your energy bill. With a conventional water heater, hot water is stored inside the tank. In theory, this keeps a ready supply of hot water on hand for immediate use, but the fact is that the hot water just sits around when not being used. This is not only a complete waste of energy; it also costs you extra money at the end of the month on your energy bill. A tankless water heater does not store hot water for later use. Instead, a tankless water heater only produces as much hot water as a person needs. In other words, when the hot water faucet is turned on, the tankless unit provides the exact amount of hot water dispensed until the faucet is turned off. With the installation of a tankless unit in your home, you never need to worry about running out of hot water again during a shower.

One of the biggest problems with conventional tank water heaters is leakage. No matter how fancy of an electric water heater you buy, the unit will start leaking as time takes its toll. After all, these are constantly filled with water day in and day out for a period of years. This cannot only create a huge mess to clean up, but costly damage to your home and a potentially large claim to your homeowners insurance policy.

01/17/2019

Have you ever thought about what might happen if a family member or yourself, living alone might deal with an emergency? For seniors who live alone, this can be a serious concern. For this reason many people opt to put a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) in place sooner rather than later. PERS are an effective way to stay connected 24/7 in case an emergency should arise. These systems work by attaching a console to a senior’s telephone line that automatically dials a response center and offers two-way, hands-free communication. It is activated by a transmitter that seniors can wear around their neck or as a bracelet. Some devices can even be worn on a belt or kept in a pocket for easy access. When help is needed, all they have to do is push a button and the system is activated.
Their call is sent to a call center that immediately assesses the situation and contacts the appropriate parties. This could be sending the police, an ambulance, or the fire department, calling a nearby emergency contact, or alerting a family member. Seniors are able to call for help when they need it rather than waiting on someone else to assist. It can be invaluable in the event of a fall or other medical emergency where time is critical.
There are several different types of PERS available. Some provide basic options for calling for help, while others are more advanced and may have fall detection technology, GPS tracking, or other features. Consider what the major concerns are for your loved one, and what device may best fit their needs. Systems are often paid for on a month-by-month basis and you have the option to suspend service if your loved one should be admitted to the hospital or have temporary continuous care.

Send a message to learn more

01/10/2019

Things you should know about short-term rental, are you covered?

The Age of Sharing is here, and it’s a phenomenon that’s expected to grow from $15 billion in 2014 to $335 billion by 2025, with services such as home-sharing and maintenance platforms being a big part of that equation. Many homeowners have seen big economic benefits over the years from home-sharing platforms like Airbnb, but if you’re thinking about jumping in to get a piece of that pie, there are a few things you should consider first.

Know Your Regulations
Not all cities see the home-sharing phenomenon as a win-win. Many are passing new regulations that are often designed to curb its growth. Before signing up for a service like Airbnb, you should find out a few things. Does your city have a framework for short-term rentals? Are there any legal restrictions? How expensive is licensing?

Know Where You Live
Cities are made up of distinct neighborhoods, and people are proud of where they live, so, you'll want to think carefully about the impact of a short-term rental on your neighbors before moving forward with your plans. You don't need to get permission before renting rooms, but as a courtesy, you'll want to let anyone impacted by your decision in on your plans. You'll also want to establish clear house rules and expectations, especially about noise or late-night outdoor socializing, for your guests.

Know Your Coverage
You’ll hear horror stories in the news regularly about a home-sharing rental gone bad. In London, a short-term renter threw a party for 100 people, unbeknownst to the homeowner, during which floorboards were ripped and a television pulled off a wall. In another widely-reported example, a short-term rental unit was used as a pop-up brothel. Stories about experiences as bad as these are extremely rare; however, they serve to remind us about the financial and legal risks for hosts who allow strangers into their home. It's important to make sure you have the appropriate coverage if you don't already have it.

Home-sharing companies such as Airbnb or HomeAway offer basic insurance coverage, but what they offer may not be enough, or could be severely limited by exclusions. Your best option is to ask your insurance provider about the nature of the protection, liability coverage and deductible. For example, if you're renting out rooms at your primary residence, short-term, on a regular basis, it may be considered a home-based business, and you could be denied coverage.

01/05/2019

Is this the year you’re thinking of retiring?


Location can play a big role in the quality of your retirement. The average person spends decades saving for retirement and planning for this major financial decision; did you know that where you live can actually have the biggest impact on your retirement finances? Here are a couple of things to consider when you’re deciding where to settle down when you’re ready to get out of the rat race.

Services for Seniors
When you think about retirement, you might have visions of long afternoons out on the links, time on the beach with your grandchildren, or just a nice relaxing place to put your feet up. But don’t forget that you might need a little help staying fit enough to keep your golf game in top shape. It’s worth exploring the availability and cost of healthcare services for seniors in any place you’re considering retiring. Find out what it might cost you if you or your spouse needs in home care or what assisted living facilities cost in the event they’re needed. These costs can vary significantly from place to place, so it’s worth your time to do a little research.

Add up the Tax Bill
While most of us think about spending our hard-earned savings on enjoying the good life, going into retirement doesn’t exclude you from having to pay your share to government. Retirement planning should always include planning for taxes, including income, property and sales tax. Shopping for a new home in retirement might also mean shopping for a location and a price that will help you stay on budget for your golden years.

Remember, your retirement journey is a very personal one, and where you choose to retire is completely up to you and your vision for your perfect retirement; however, the more you know about the financial climate in the state you currently reside or are looking to retire in, the better prepared you'll be for this major life change.

11/01/2018

DID YOU KNOW?
Here's a worthwhile professional tip to share. When washing your vehicle's windows, don't forget to roll it down a bit and wipe the top edge! This is an area that normally doesn't get cleaned and could build up some serious bacteria.

10/24/2018

If you’re looking to add a little life to your living space experts say bringing the garden inside can boost your happiness and your health. Just like picking paint and furniture, it's important to spend time choosing the best plants for your interior and make your space unique to you. Not only should you be considering the care your new plant friends will need, but also how they will impact your space as they grow to their full forms. Here are several tips for picking the best houseplants.

Understand sun exposure. The quickest way to shrivel a houseplant is by giving it the improper amount of sunshine. Take time to get to know the sunniest and shadiest parts of your home, and pick plants that thrive in that environment.

Consider maintenance. If you're choosing houseplants that need a good amount of TLC—water, trimming, etc.—make sure you have the time in your schedule and bandwidth in your brain to take this on. If not, pick a plant that needs minimal attention, like a succulent.

Pick proper containers. Learn the root length of the plant you're choosing, and how big it's likely to grow, and then pick a container that can accommodate it.

Consider color. While varying shades of green can feel gorgeously lush, no need to stop there! Add a splash of color to your interior with orchids, peace lilies or prayer plants.

10/19/2018

An umbrella insurance policy is a secondary type of liability insurance that covers your personal liability. It is also known as an excess liability insurance policy. Umbrella insurance gives you added liability protection for lawsuits, and claims that rise against you. It is an inexpensive way to protect your financial future or established assets.
Personal Umbrella Insurance kicks in when your base policy liability limit is not enough. It protects you above and beyond the limits on your homeowners, condo, car insurance, watercraft or other personal insurance policies.
Umbrella insurance is a secondary form of insurance that requires you have a primary policy, or an underlying liability policy to first pay out on a claim before umbrella liability coverage becomes effective.
For example, a home insurance policy provides the primary liability for a loss, then once the amount of money in the homeowner personal liability is exhausted or maxed out, the umbrella insurance kicks in. This is why umbrella insurance may also be referred to as excess liability insurance. Contact us today to see if this type of coverage may be right for you.

10/11/2018

Are Smart Homes the way of the future? Are they a risk?



From adaptive thermostats, to smart home speakers, a homeowner can now cross off a variety of menial tasks from their daily to-do list without doing more than speaking a phrase out loud or clicking a button on their mobile device. But, is it safe? What is the true cost of this convenience? Some gadget adopters are reporting invasion of privacy, security risks, and more. These are a few of the reported instances thus far:
1. Gadgets May Be Susceptible to Hacking
Last August, Wired published a story about a British security researcher for MWR Labs, Mark Barnes, who was able to install malware on an Amazon Echo device, turning it into a surveillance device that silently streamed audio to his own server. While newer models cannot be broken into this way, there has not been any software released yet to fix the issue with older units.
2. Smart Technology Could Lead to Location-Based Tracking
Security investigator Brian Krebs reported on a privacy vulnerability for both Google Home and Chromecast—found by Craig Young, a researcher with security firm Tripwire—that leaks accurate location information about its users. According to Young, attackers can use these Google devices to send a link (which could be anything from a tweet to an advertisement) to the connected user; if the link is clicked and the page left opened for about a minute, the attacker is able to obtain a location.
3. Glitches Could Lead to Invasion of Privacy
According to news stations in Portland, Ore., a local resident received a disturbing phone call from one of her husband's employers telling her to shut off her smart home devices. After using devices throughout her home to control temperature, lighting and security, Danielle was made aware that a private conversation was accidentally recorded by her artificial intelligence system and was sent to a number on the family's contact list.

10/04/2018

Nothing says, “fall is here” better than a trip to the apple orchard. So get out, get some air, get some sun, have some fun and enjoy a healthy snack or bake a yummy treat. Go apple picking, the perfect way to say so long to summer and hello to autumn, it’s good for your soul!