HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY

“There are only two kinds of people in the world,” an Irish saying goes. “The Irish and those who wish they were.”

But for today, that saying is a pot o’ blarney. This St. Patrick’s Day, we’ll all be Irish.

St. Patrick's Day was originally a Roman Catholic feast day for Ireland’s patron saint, celebrated only in Ireland since before the 1600s, to mourn the loss of the patron saint who died March 17, 451 AD. However, it evolved into a secular holiday in the 1700s, when Irish immigrants in the US held some of the first St. Patrick’s Day parades. More than a show of patriotism, the parades were an opportunity for Irish immigrants to make a political statement about their discontent with their low social status in America.

Today, St. Patrick’s Day is a transcontinental celebration of Irish culture, abounding with festive food and traditions. Have you ever wondered why we eat corned beef, wear green, and pinch our friends on St. Patrick’s Day? Read on to discover how three St. Patrick’s Day traditions came to be.

• Why green?

According to some accounts, blue was the first color associated with St. Patrick’s Day, but that started to change in the 17th century. Green is one of the colors in Ireland’s tri-color flag, and it has been used in the flags of several Irish revolutionary groups throughout history. Ireland is the “Emerald Isle,” so named for its lush green landscape. Green is also the color of spring, the shamrock, and the many eateries and breweries serving green beer.   This year Chipotle is offering FREE Guac to anyone wearing green on St. Patrick's Day.

• Corned beef or bacon?

This St. Patrick’s Day, millions of people will sit down to an authentic Irish meal of corned beef and cabbage. Or so they think. In fact, only half of it is really Irish. Though cabbage has historically been a staple of the Irish diet (along with potatoes), it was traditionally eaten with Irish bacon, not corned beef. Irish immigrants in America could not afford the bacon, so they substituted it with corned beef, a cheaper alternative they picked up from Jewish immigrants.

• Pinch me, I’m Irish

Forgot to wear green on St. Patty’s Day? Don’t be surprised if you get pinched. No surprise, it’s an entirely American tradition that probably started in the early 1700s. St. Patrick’s revelers thought wearing green made one invisible to leprechauns, fairy creatures who would pinch anyone they could see (anyone not wearing green). People began pinching those who didn’t wear green as a reminder that leprechauns would sneak up and pinch green-abstainers.

Don’t forget your green!

Stop Paying Too Much for Homeowner's Insurance

Homeowner’s insurance premiums can be expensive. While there are a number of premium price factors you can’t change, such as the size of your house and where it’s located, there are some ways you can lower your premium costs. In fact, according to the Insurance Information Institute, there are a number of ways you can go about reducing your homeowner’s insurance premiums.

Here are some of the top ways to save a few bucks and still have the homeowner’s insurance coverage you need:

• Look around. There are plenty of companies out there that offer homeowners insurance.  You can check the yellow pages, or ask friends and family for referrals.  The key here is to be selective: only consider homeowners insurance companies that come recommended, or that have a solid record of good customer service and follow-through.  Check the financial stability of the companies you are considering with rating companies such as A.M. Best (www.ambest.com) and Standard & Poor’s (www.standardandpoors.com) and consult consumer magazines. When you've narrowed the field to three insurers, get price quotes.  Many companies sell cheap insurance, but is it good insurance?

• Look for a multiple policy discount. Your auto insurer will usually offer a discount if you also purchase your homeowners insurance with them. In fact, you can save as much as 30 percent with some companies just by having more than one insurance product with that company.
• Make changes to your home. Some insurance companies will offer you a discount on your homeowner’s insurance premiums if your home is more damage resistant. That can include things like storm shutters or a reinforced roof. Homes in areas that are prone to earthquakes may benefit from a retrofitting to make them more resistant. An older home may be eligible for a discount by updating the plumbing or electrical systems. Finally, many homes can get a discount based on home security features like smoke detectors, dead-bolt locks or burglar alarms.
• Keep a good credit rating. Not all insurance companies consider your credit rating, and in some states this is becoming illegal. Still, a bad credit score can affect your premiums in some places.
• Increase your deductible. One way to lower your premium cost, whether it’s for homeowners insurance or auto insurance, is to raise your deductible. The deductible is the out-of-pocket amount you need to pay when something bad happens before your homeowners insurance kicks in.

Consumers understand the value of LIFE

The recent economic turmoil has affected most of us and many of us in profound ways. Recent surveys reveal an interesting result of the challenging economic times: Americans are showing more interest in life insurance. According to a survey released by the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE), 56 percent of Americans say the economic downturn has made it more important to have life insurance, compared to just 9 percent who believe the need has diminished.

It may seem counter-intuitive but if you’ve experienced a recent job loss or salary reduction and are seeking ways to reduce your living expenses, you may have a greater need for life insurance. Remember: One important purpose of life insurance is to provide security for your family by replacing your income if something happens to you. So in difficult economic times, when jobs are harder to find and dependents may need even greater financial assistance, life insurance becomes more critical.

Tough times call for action
Today, most of us understand that life insurance is an essential part of securing our family’s financial security and well-being. Tough economic times call for consumers to take action and reexamine the amount and type of life insurance coverage they have. As your professional insurance agent I can offer information that may help you determine the amount of life insurance coverage that fits your individual needs.


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

Unable to sell, homeowners become landlords

Are you having trouble selling your home in today’s real estate market and thinking about becoming a landlord? If so, you’re not alone. A growing number of homeowners who need to relocate for a job or other reason are renting their homes instead of selling them in the current market.
Keep in mind that when you become a landlord, your property becomes a place of business and its insurance requirements change. For example, you would need a landlord insurance policy to cover the property and protect you if anyone is hurt on or in the property in place of your homeowners policy. 

Many choices
Landlord policies typically cover the building in case it’s damaged or destroyed by:

• Fire
• Explosion
• Lightning
• Windstorm*
• Hail damage*

There are important optional coverages you may want to consider such as:

• Replacement cost coverage on the home
• Liability coverage
• Coverage for theft
• Coverage for vandalism
• Loss of rent
• Landlord personal liability coverage

Depending on your individual situation, you may consider some options especially important. For example, do you rely on the rental income to pay your living expenses? A landlord policy may include coverage to help compensate for lost rent if the building is uninhabitable because of covered damage such as fire or explosion.

Call me today: I can give you additional information and answer any questions you may have so that you have the coverage you want when you rent your property. 405-285-5555

*Coverage may not be available in all areas.

A Love Letter about LIFE Insurance

A Love letter, you say? What has life insurance got to do with love? Well, quite a lot, it turns out. The bottom line is that you buy life insurance because you love people and want to protect them financially.

I may be biased because I work in the industry, but take a look at this letter from a parent to a  son, and see if you don’t agree:

Dear J.P.:

Today is November 21, 1989, and possibly you are wondering what the date has to do with writing you this letter.

While you are only four months old at the present time, I hope that this is a date you will remember, because today we purchased for you a life insurance policy. It is one like we have and it will be for your use for the rest of your life.

J.P., the difference between financial success and failure is often determined by whether or not a person can discipline themselves in a consistent and conservative financial strategy. Life insurance is ideal in this respect because it has withstood the test of time both for family security and savings … it’s the greatest savings plan in the world because IT WORKS!

It may be that you will have to call upon the cash value of this policy many times during your lifetime and, at such time, we hope you will remember that we started this for your benefit.

This policy carries with it two features of particular significance. The first is an automatic purchase option, which will allow us to increase your coverage as you attain certain ages. The other feature is one that has been very meaningful to me in my financial life and it is called disability waiver of premium. This means that in the event you should ever become disabled, your financial plan will be self-completing for you and your family.

This policy is a special gift of love and affection from both your mother and me … and we suspect that it will be remembered long after all other gifts are forgotten.

May God’s blessings be with you always.

Love always,


Dad and Mom

As Valentine’s Day approaches, why not consider the gift of life insurance? It may be a policy like this one that was purchased—for a child or grandchild, or it may be a policy you buy for yourself with your loved one as the beneficiary. We express our love in many ways, and offering financial security is most certainly an important one.  Please be sure to click here for a life insurance calculator, or better yet, call or email us personally to discuss your needs and design a policy specifically for you!

Protect your Dreams...

So what is it that you want? You want security in knowing that the dreams you are building and living will not be shattered by an unexpected event.

That's exactly what an accident is. Dictionary.com defines an accident as:

1. an undesirable or unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally and usually results in harm, injury, damage, or loss; casualty; mishap

So how are you protecting your dreams? When was the last time your Insurance Specialist sat down with you to review the coverages for your home, your autos, or your recreational vehicles? Are you sure that your homeowners policy will take care of you when you need it to? How about your auto insurance policies? Are they really designed to protect your dreams, or are they only in place to help you get your license plates renewed?

What about life insurance? If you didn't come home tomorrow, could your family continue in the same lifestyle; live in the same house, maintain the same schools, and will your kids still be able to pursue a college education?

If you haven't reviewed your policies or visited with your Insurance Specialist in the past 12 months, you really owe it to yourself and your loved ones to do so. Make it a priority, not an inconvenience.

Tony Melendez, english subtitles.

What courage, what a story! This is so very true... The only things in life you can't accomplish are the ones that you ACCEPT defeat over!
Very encouraging video!

Now that the BLIZZARD is over... at least we hope!

It is always good advise to prepare your car for winter weather by taking it in for a pre-winter check-up. However no one could have predicted our weather this year! Winter can be a grueling time for your car, especially if you live in an area with heavy snow storms or severe winter weather. And all those times you’ve driven through slush can take a toll on your car’s health.

Road salt, commonly found on city streets to make driving safer, can erode your car’s paint and cause damage to the bottom of your car if it’s not cleaned off properly. Your car’s engine also works harder during the winter, so if it’s not in the best of shape, you may run into a few problems.

So during winter weather, don’t be stranded on the road – be aware of any changes in your car’s performance and be on the lookout for any signs of car trouble. And if even if it’s a minor problem that you’ve had before, it’s better to be safe and bring your car to your local mechanic, or not driven at all.

Here are four warning signs that you should not ignore:

1. Your Brakes are Squealing
During the winter, your brakes are crucial to prevent skidding on slippery roads and noisy brakes can be an indication of a dangerous problem like worn out brake pads.  Malfunctioning brakes can also cause you to skid on patches of ice. This is a very serious problem if not taking care of properly.

2. Your windshield washer fluid is running low
Clean windows are even more important during the winter, when your visibility is already reduced by snow and fog. If you see your fluids are running low, fill them up immediately with a de-icer. These products will not only clear your windows of ice and frost, they also help prevent re-freezing.  Its best to allow your car some time to warm up before trying to spray immediately.  Also, be sure to visually inspect the spray nozzles for ice build-up.  If they are frozen over, they will not function when you may need it most.

3. Fuel-level Warning Light
If you’ve ever driven with your gas-tank warning light illuminated, you probably know that you can still go a few more miles before you absolutely have to fill your tank again. But during the winter, procrastinating can be extremely dangerous. You never know if or when you might be on the road for longer than expected, and you don’t want to be stranded in a cold car without any gas. And if that isn’t enough to get you to fill up your tank sooner, consider the hefty bill you’ll have to pay to have your car towed to a gas station, not to mention all the time wasted.  Besides, most vehicles perform better on a full tank rather than a half empty one.

4. Weak or Old Batteries
Your car’s battery goes through a lot, especially during the winter. Because batteries tend to deteriorate more quickly during the winter, you should never drive on a low battery or you may ended up with a car that won’t start. And if your battery is in good condition, you should look out for corrosion which can appear as white, crusty residue around your battery post.  There are several methods for cleaning your battery terminals.  Just be sure not to touch it with bare hands or get it onto your clothing.