Samuel Smith Farmers Insurance Agent

11/19/2014

Holiday travel, rental car insurance, your family’s tomorrow and more …

Welcome to the November edition of Farmers Friendly Voice. In this issue you can learn about surviving holiday travel, insuring your valuables and yourself to avoid a coverage gap, and why you may (or may not) want rental car insurance.

No matter where you are during the holidays, be safe and make sure you have the coverage you want. All of us at Farmers wish you a happy Thanksgiving, filled with family, friends and lots of good food.


Surviving holiday air travel

Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season when millions of Americans will be traveling. So we’ve assembled some cool travel apps to help keep you on schedule and informed as to airport and flight delays.

Read More >



Diamonds are forever … with the right insurance coverage

The holidays are a time of giving, sharing and caring. Many of us give or receive jewelry or other valuable items, such as furs, antiques, art, coin collections and the like. Do you understand how to insure them?

Read More >



Do you need rental car insurance?

If you’ll be renting a car during the holidays get ready for a barrage of questions when you get to the rental car counter: Do you have insurance? Can I see your insurance ID card? Do you want CDW, LDW and so on? Here’s some information to help you understand more about insurance before you get to the rental car counter.

Read More >



Prepare today for your family’s tomorrow

If you’re not in perfect health or you’ve been turned down for life insurance before, consider this: You may qualify for up to $20,000 of permanent whole life insurance with no medical exam.

Read More >

11/12/2014

It's something most of us do every day, yet it remains the most hazardous and potentially deadly thing we do: Driving our car.

11/11/2014

Tough questions. Simple answers. Farmers makes it simple to understand Life Insurance.

11/05/2014

Farmers Insurance offers a full range of insurance products and financial services: Auto, Home, Life, Motorcycle, Business, Family & Financial Security. Visit Farmers.com.

10/29/2014

Call us at anytime 303-376-6206

Farmers Insurance offers a full range of insurance products and financial services: Auto, Home, Life, Motorcycle, Business, Family & Financial Security. Visit Farmers.com.

10/23/2014

7 Legal Tips for Working Parents
Managing a career while raising a family can present difficult challenges for many parents. These tips are designed to help working parents understand the laws that apply to time away from work and make the right decisions about benefits. Call your LegalShield provider law firm if you have any legal questions.

1.Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – In the United States FMLA allows eligible employees to take a total of 12 workweeks of unpaid job-protected leave, in a 12-month period, for the birth or adoption of a child or to care for a sick child, spouse or parent. FMLA also allows 12 workweeks for you to recover from a serious illness that leaves you unable to perform essential functions of your job. Eligibility is based on how long you have worked for your employer and the number of workers they employ. Learn more about FMLA by reading the U.S. Department of Labor fact sheet. Additional benefits are available for families of injured service members. Some states mandate protections that exceed FMLA standards. Click here to learn more or contact your LegalShield provider law firm.

2.Employment Standards in Canada – In Canada employee leave is regulated by province or territory. Click here to learn more about the laws where you live or contact your LegalShield provider law firm.

3.Know Your Employer’s Leave Policies – Some policies may be governed by state, federal or provincial law while others may be at the discretion of your employer. When considering a new job, ask to review the leave and time away from work policies. Additional leave time, the way leave is calculated or the ability to work from home may be an extra incentive for working parents.

4.Review Health Coverage – Examine the costs and exclusions included in your health insurance plan. Adding a child or multiple children may be expensive. If both parents have employers offering insurance it is important to look beyond the monthly premium. How much are copays, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums? Expectant parents should also understand the potential costs of labor and delivery and save accordingly.

5.Purchase Life Insurance – Life insurance is often more affordable when purchased through an employer. In most cases you cannot keep an employer sponsored policy when you leave. Carefully examine all of the options available and consider how much your children would need if something were to happen to you. It may be beneficial for women planning a pregnancy to purchase life insurance before becoming pregnant. Some health issues that may arise during or after pregnancy could affect the cost or ability to purchase insurance.

6.Consider Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance – Working mothers should prepare for maternity leave by purchasing short-term disability insurance to cover any unpaid portion of their leave. This insurance generally needs to be purchased before becoming pregnant so plan accordingly. Long-term disability insurance is every bit as vital as life insurance. An extended illness can be financially devastating. Before you sign up for any insurance have your LegalShield provider law firm review the terms.

7.Savings – It is important to save first for emergencies. Once you have enough savings to cover one to two months without income you should begin saving for your children’s education. There are multiple options for college savings such as prepaid tuition plans and tax-advantaged savings plans. Examine all of your options to find out which plan is best for your family. Your LegalShield provider law firm can help you understand the terms and legal ramifications involved in saving for college.

10/23/2014

5 Ways to Improve Your Family’s Cyber Security
It is easy to fall into bad habits or ignore cyber security at home. With a wide range of personal, financial and medical information stored online, taking time to strengthen your family’s online security could save you time, money and aggravation. This article includes basic tips that will provide peace of mind and help reduce risk.

1.Protect Your Network – Failing to protect your home wireless network is like leaving your door wide open. Password protecting your network is a good place to start, but there are other steps you must take to truly protect your network. You should also change your security defaults and set up a firewall. Click here to learn more about how to secure your home network.

2.Protect Your Computer – Utilize antivirus software to protect your computer from viruses, malware and spyware. Update your antivirus software, operating system and other applications often. Software updates include important security patches that protect your computer from known flaws and threats. Be cautious when downloading email attachments. Many spam or fraudulent email attachments contain malicious software. You should also fully shutdown your computer when not in use for extended periods.

3.Protect Your Cellphone – Current smartphones are more powerful than many home computers were ten years ago. It is important to take similar precautions to protect your cellphone and your private data. This includes locking your phone when not in use, as well as using strong passwords and encryption. Click here to read our article, “8 Ways to Protect Your Smartphone”.

4.Protect Your Children – Child predators and scammers target children on social networks, gaming sites, message boards and via email. It is important to begin teaching children about online safety early but you should also keep an open dialogue with older children and teens. The National Children’s Advocacy Center offers helpful tips on teaching your children about online safety. You should also be aware of how the information you post online may put your children at risk. Click here to read our alert on the risks of posting GPS tagged photos of your children.

5.Protect Your Wallet – Each year hundreds of thousands of people fall victim to online scams. Familiarizing yourself with common schemes will help protect you and your family. The best rule of thumb to follow is that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Click here to read our article, “Avoid the 5 Most Common Scams”. You can also read more about online scams at OnGuardOnline.gov.

09/20/2014

Thanks for joining us for Rio 2. LIKE this page and SHARE this picture before the movie is over to raise $$ for Cherokee Trail Elementary!!

09/10/2014

Fall and Winter Energy-Saving Tips
According to energy.gov, the United States Department of Energy online resource, there are several ways you can save energy and money this fall and winter through some simple adjustments at home. Below are some tips and inexpensive ways your family can practice to ensure maximum savings through the cold seasons.

•TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HEAT FROM THE SUN - Open curtains on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
•COVER DRAFTY WINDOWS - Use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of your window frames during the cold winter months. Make sure the plastic is sealed tightly to the frame to help reduce infiltration.
•ADJUST THE TEMPERATURE - When you are home and awake, set your thermostat as low as is comfortable. When you are asleep or out of the house, turn your thermostat back 10° to 15° for eight hours and save around 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills.
•FIND AND SEAL LEAKS -Seal the air leaks around utility cut-throughs for pipes ("plumbing penetrations"), gaps around chimneys and recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets.
•MAINTAIN YOUR HEATING SYSTEMS - Find out what maintenance is required to keep your heating system operating efficiently
•REDUCE HEAT LOSS FROM THE FIREPLACE - Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. Keeping the damper open is like keeping a window wide open during the winter; it allows warm air to go right up the chimney.
•LOWER YOUR WATER HEATING COSTS - Turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F). You'll not only save energy, you'll avoid scalding your hands.
•LOWER YOUR HOLIDAY LIGHTING COSTS - Use light-emitting diode -- or "LED" -- holiday light strings to reduce the cost of decorating your home for the winter holidays.