Medical insurance for my dog - is it worth the money?

Poor sick puppy. My dog ate one of those giant Hershey's kisses this week in a little post-Easter binge. He's only 17 pounds and I didn't discover his little indiscretion until it was too late to induce it out of him. So this afternoon I spent half a day in the vet's office and $391 later for x-rays and blood work, he seems to be feeling better. Fortunately, he didn't eat a toxic amount and didn't get any foil lodged in his belly. I hope he learned his lesson, but I know I learned mine. From now his vice stays up high, safely in the cabinet.

Meanwhile, it makes me think about medical insurance for dogs. Looking at a quick quote online, it appears that a mid-range insurance policy would run around $14 ($168 per year) for my 2 year old Bichon. I'd have to look into how comprehensive the coverage is; if it doesn't cover the ailment he gets then I've wasted my money.

As a relatively new dog owner (this little chocoholic is my first pet!) I'm wondering if medical insurance is worth is. Anyone willing to share their experience?

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month: It's Time to Stop Gambling with Our Families Financial Futures.

Do you ever wonder what would happen to your family, if something happened to you? The thought is so scary and hard to think about, that a lot of us have decided that the possibility of this is unlikely and it is easier not to deal with the issue at all. Unfortunately there are many times when this solution does not work.

If you have found yourself or a family member in this situation, you know all too well, how true this is. Without the financial means to continue through life without a loved one that you were financially dependent on, the ability to deal with such a significant loss becomes even more difficult.

Gambling has become a popular pastime in America. Consider the craze over the multi-state Mega Millions lottery. Every time the jackpot rises to eight or nine figures, millions of Americans run to their local convenience store for a chance to become the next mega millionaire. Their chance of winning? About 1 in 175 million. The good news: the consequences of losing aren’t usually very severe, since the average investment is only a few dollars.

Contrast that to the financial consequences of dying prematurely and not having adequate life insurance protection. The outcome can be dire. Bills pile up quickly. Mortgage or rent payments get missed. Families are forced to find cheaper housing. Education plans are put on hold. Dreams get dashed.

What’s most frustrating is that all of this financial suffering is avoidable with proper insurance planning. Then why do three in ten adult Americans have no life insurance at all, and most of those with coverage have far less than experts recommend? The answer is simple. We’re a nation of gamblers. But in this particular case, many Americans are taking a bad bet.

Ask a 35-year-old man what his chances of dying are in the next 15 years and he’ll probably say, “Pretty slim”. Actually, he’s right. About 95% of men that age will live beyond their 50th birthday. But of the nearly 2.1 million 35-year-old US men, consider how many won’t live that long. 21,126 won’t live to age 40, 52,817 won’t make it 45, and nearly 100,000 35-year-olds (or 1 in every 21) won’t live to see their 50th birthday.

Most Americans don’t fully appreciate the gamble they’re taking by not having adequate life insurance coverage. The chances of dying too young are much greater than most people realize and life insurance protects your loved ones in case the unexpected happens.

For more details on life insurance or to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation appointment with Financial Network Registered Representative, call 630-983-2310, fill out our request form, or email us today. And watch for upcoming announcements on our no-cost financial seminars.

Are You Prepared?

After hearing about the devastating tornados in Kansas last week, looking at the horrifying pictures, and listening to the sad stories on the news, I wondered what all of those people were going to do now. How would I feel and what would I do if I found myself in a similar situation? With my house flattened and all of my personal belongings destroyed, how would I start to rebuild?

If you were to sustain a catastrophic loss like that, would you be prepared? Could you remember the details of all of your possessions? I know that I could not.

Even with home owners insurance, I would not be in a position to be able to recoup all of my possessions. Insurance companies require that you provide overwhelming and undeniable proof of what you own. When a disaster such as a tornado throws your life into utter chaos, insurance companies want details of all your tangible personal property and what it is worth, based on insurance stipulations and requirements. Not having this information available during a disaster, puts you at the risk of losing 20% or more of a casualty loss insurance claim, after faithfully paying all of the premiums.

By preparing yourself for the unexpected you can maximize the return on your insurance claim, and reduce the entire claims process by weeks or even months.

If you're like most of us, you buy things and put the receipt in a folder in case you need it for warranty purposes. But in case of a fire or a tornado. . . well, you know what can happen.

It is essential to keep a documented inventory of your personal property. Insurance policy interpretation is where the problems usually arise. It is assumed that families have color TV's, maybe even two or three. But what is not assumed is that you may have a big screen TV, a custom made dining room or bedroom set, or made to order drapery, etc. Property that falls into this category is not assumed by any insurance company. You will have to prove you had it in order to financially recover in case of a claim. Insurance companies will ask for an inventory, including description and value of damaged property. And, most important, they'll ask you to attach bills, receipts that justify the loss. Photos and written records kept in a safe deposit box would be very beneficial during a time like this.

My plan now is to start working on creating a digital inventory of my home using my digital camera, (how hard can that be). Record it now! Don’t regret it later! That is what I keep telling myself. I am planning to make a complete written inventory of our home, and take videos and photographs of our home and contents.

This process will help to ensure that if my family is faced with the same kind of disaster that many families in a small town in Kansas experienced last week, we will receive the proper settlement from our insurance company to help rebuild our lives.