Insurance Insights ~ April 2002

Spring Cleaning

As the seasons change, check these household chores:

Outside:

• Schedule a family garage clean-out. Create efficient storage for sporting goods, camping equipment, recreational vehicles, and garden tools. You'll have the jump on summer fun!
• Inspect, clean and repair outdoor furniture.
• Tour house exterior and grounds. Make a list of any needed seasonal maintenance.
• Inspect the roof for winter damage: leaks, missing or broken shingles or tiles. Arrange for any needed repairs early; roofing contractors can be hard to find during construction season.
• Use a sunny Saturday to scrape, prime and paint peeling spots on trim or woodwork. You'll protect wood against summer heat and moisture--and prevent a more difficult paint job come fall.
• Clear away any remaining dead foliage and weeds from beds and lawn. New growth will be protected from damage or disease.
• Begin major spring landscaping projects. Spring's the time to put in shrubs and trees, but check with your local extension office for specific planting recommendations for your area.

Inside:

• Changing seasons, changing clothes. Hold a family wardrobe check as you bring out warm-weather clothing. Sort winter clothing for discards and donations before you store.
• Hold a garage sale! De-clutter house and garage to turn trash into cash.
• Pick a weekend and enlist the family for spring cleaning. Many hands make light work! Reward the team with dinner at a pizza parlor.
• Wash windows inside and out.
• While at the window area, check drapes and window treatments. Vacuum any dust; send dirtier drapes to the cleaners.
• Move furniture and vacuum beneath it.
• Arrange for a spring inspection of cooling systems. Don't wait for the first hot day! Air conditioning firms will give better service when they're not busy.
• When the weather warms, deactivate heat system humidifiers. Check the system manual for instructions on how to power down for the summer.
• Drain sediment from hot water heaters.

Disability Income Protection

Did you know that there are really two kinds of lost income? The most well known loss is the income lost to your family if you should die (which is replaced with the proceeds from your life insurance policy). The second type of income that can be lost to your family is if you are disabled and no longer able to work. Protection for this type of lost income is often overlooked or neglected, but it could be one of most important aspects of your insurance protection program.

Why? Well, what happens if you become ill or injured but don’t die? With the many advances in the medical field this is a much more likely scenario. If you do not die, but are instead disabled, both you and your family must have an income to survive. Some families feel they can rely on the income of the working spouse, however, with the mounting medical bills associated with illness or injury, and the increased stress load of supporting a disabled spouse along with the other demands of family, this is not always a viable or long-lasting solution. These increased needs coupled with a decreased income will not provide the financial protection your family needs.

Also, did you know that one year of disability could wipe out 10 years of savings? Why wipe out all those years of hard work, when for a monthly cost of little more than a good dinner out you can protect your savings, and provide for your family?

Why not sit down with your insurance professional to review and develop a plan that will provide the income necessary to keep you and your family financially independent. It’s easy to do now, and will make things much easier if needed in the future!

Call Weimer’s today -- we have a plan to fit almost every family’s need. We have helped many of our clients secure this important protection and will be glad to do the same for you by answering any questions, and to provide you with a plan that fits your needs and budget!

INSURANCE INSIGHTS is an electronic newsletter published monthly (except for January and August) by G. C. Weimer Associates, Inc. Information contained herein is accurate to the best of our knowledge and belief as of April 1, 2002. If you have a topic of interest for a future issue, e-mail us at info@gcwinsure.com.