The 3rd Quarter of 2022 is almost over, so we thought we'd do a quick check up to review with you some things you might want to be aware of.... Our children have been back to school for several weeks now, but it's always wise to drive with care and pay attention out there. We're still smack in the middle of hurricane season and although we've been blessed so far to not have anything come close to us, we're not out of the woods yet. Brush up on your preparation tips as well as binding restrictions for home, auto and recreational vehicle insurance. You might also want to review our posts on understanding your home or mobile home insurance and policy deductibles as well as the need for flood insurance. Football and Festivals are in full swing. We've got information that will help you be safe and have fun while you're out and about. Medicare AEP is right around the corner (Oct 15 - Dec 7) so now is a good time to review your Medicare policy. New to Medicare? Check out our FAQ and Understanding Medicare posts. If you don't already have a local agent, give us a call. We'd be happy to be yours! Have Medicare and Medicaid or a Veteran with Medicare? We can help you too! If travelling is in your plans for the holidays this year, check out our tips for travelling smart and other articles that can benefit you during the most wonderful time of the year. As we round out 2022, we here at Curtis Insurance sincerely hope we've provided blog posts that are educational and informative and pray you'll drop by monthly to see what we're sharing. Until next time take care and remember.... In a world where you can be anything, be kind. Tommy Curtis and Staff Disclaimers: ALL material on this blog is available for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own personal advisors before making these types of decisions. Life and Medicare Products marketed through Curtis & Associates Financial Services, Inc. {A Life and Health Agency} Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information. Not connected or affiliated with any United States Government or State agency. Calling this number will direct you to a licensed Agent/Broker. *By contacting us and providing information, you agree that an authorized representative or licensed insurance agent may contact you by phone, e-mail or mail to answer your questions and provide additional information about Medicare Advantage, Part D or Medicare Supplement Insurance plans. It’s that time of year again where the television is filled with commercials on what you can spend your tax refund on. Granted, with many folks still in rebuild after the weather events of 2020/2021, new furniture or a vacation sounds lovely. But is that really the wisest use of your hard-earned dollars? Let’s look at a few ideas…. We here at Curtis Insurance/Curtis & Associates would like to take a moment to wish you and yours a Blessed Holiday season and to THANK YOU for your patronage! We will be closed December 24th and December 31st in honor of Christmas and New Year's Eve. Since you're here, please take a moment to browse our many articles, tips and tricks. Especially on Fire Safey, Holiday Safety and Stress Busters. You might also peruse our Jan 2021 post, Take Control of Your Life, and gear up for 2022. Once again, we appreciate YOU, our valued clients. Tommy Curtis and Staff Life and Medicare Products marketed through Curtis & Associates Financial Services, Inc. {A Life and Health Agency} Friendly, personable service is a rarity these days, even in service-related businesses. This is sad when you consider how important customer service is in the overall scheme of failure or success for businesses. In this article, we’ll look at a few ways to improve people skills and increase your level of customer service. #1: SMILE! Your expression is the first thing a client will notice even on the telephone so turn that frown upside down and put a cheerful note in your voice. Act like you’re happy to be where you are and you want to help them. The National Hurricane Center is considering changing Hurricane Season from June 1 to May 15th. You’ve got to be kidding me – Right!?! Let’s face it, many of us haven’t fully recovered from 2020 hurricanes and now, as if we don’t have enough to fret about, the powers that be in the Weather Center want to add 2 more weeks of hurricane worry upon us. RELAX.
Regardless of when the National Hurricane Center states hurricane season starts or ends, there is no need to panic or fear. Being prepared and having a plan, however, is imperative. We may not be able to control Mother Nature, but here are some things you can do… Have an Evacuation Plan. No matter if the storm hits east or west of us, having an evacuation plan in place helps alleviates the stress of leaving. Review Your Home or Renters and Flood Insurance Policy ahead of time. Understanding your policy coverage, deductibles and limitations makes you a responsible homeowner/renter. Take pictures or a video of your home, contents, sheds or outbuildings, and yard helps you be more organized if you have to file a claim. Include pictures of closets and drawers, dishes, pots, silverware – everything! Many folks lose out on valuable reimbursement without proper documentation of what you own – especially those who have total or near-total losses. Have items in storage? Have pictures and an inventory list of those too as a percentage of your contents coverage extends to these things. It is especially important to record any existing damage on your home! If you happen to get caught with a new claim, this will help you and your insurance company from butting heads over details between claims. Keep a travel kit ready. A single suitcase or tote or briefcase with policies (including life, health and auto), Vet Records, Kid’s immunization records, Medications and/or a list of medications (include dosage!), Allergies, legal documents that may be important if you or a family member becomes ill or dies during evacuation, etc. saves you from having to think about these things when preparing to evacuate. Find more ideas on what to bring with you or have on hand if you decide not to evacuate in this post. Other important things we learned during 2020 hurricanes can be found HERE and more tips for travelling smart are listed in THIS blog post. Hopefully we’ve provided you enough information in this and other posts to help ease the stress of travelling or evacuating. Until next time, take care and remember…. Preparation is the key to success. Tommy Curtis and Staff We’re a quarter through 2021 – how are yo doing with your health, wealth and finance goals? Medicare Open Enrollment ended March 31st, but if you need to review your Medicare Insurance, please give us a call. As the government moves forward in loosening Covid restrictions, don’t get ahead of them and keep your perspective. We’re all ready to get back to normal (whatever that means) but there is no sense in taking unnecessary risks with your, or your loved ones’ health. Winter is losing its grip, Spring is upon us and people will be getting outside more and more. Be sure and practice fun in the sun and safety measures, especially while travelling. Review your auto insurance policy before you hit the road for that vacation and above all, enjoy yourself! Know what else comes along with Spring? Rain! And with waterways and drainage blocked from the recent hurricanes, it is always a good idea to think about adding FLOOD INSURANCE to further protect your home. Rates have changed since our post in 2017, but are still very reasonable for Zone X residents. Besides, you can’t put a price on peace of mind.
Until next time, take care and remember…. Life is too short to stress over petty stuff. Tommy Curtis and Staff Disclaimers: Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information. Not connected or affiliated with any United States Government or State agency Life and Medicare Products marketed through Curtis & Associates Financial Services, Inc. {A Life and Health Agency} In our first post of this year, we talked about ways to take control of your life, one of which was taking control of your health. Today we’re going to share a few ideas on ways to manage stress. According to The American Institute of Stress, over 100,000 people die each year due to stress related illnesses and injuries. Why are we so stressed? We’re so busy chasing things…career, new house, new car, new…bigger and better… half the time, many don’t even realize they are stressed until they’ve ended up in the doctor’s office or hospital with health problems related to their lifestyle. Add to this a global pandemic, two hurricanes and an ice storm and our friends and neighbors here in SW Louisiana are finding themselves with all sorts of stress-related symptoms. Headaches, stomach issues, insomnia, and depression are almost always connected to external circumstances. Here’s the rub: Stress is a mindset. Think this isn’t true? Just check out these stress busters and you’ll see what I mean…. We’ve made it through January and February is nearly half over, but did you know in old Roman times, when the calendar only had 10 months, February was actually the end of the year and March the beginning? It is still unclear when that changed to twelve months with January and February beginning the calendar year, but I thought it was an interesting fact to share. Which leads up to the actual topic of this post…. Changes Curtis Insurance is making in 2021. Although we will continue to service our existing clients, Curtis Insurance will no longer sell Home or Flood insurance policies. There are many reasons for this decision, the main one being changes to our staff, two of which are in the early stages of retirement and we wish them the BEST in their endeavors. With this in mind, we no longer offer Permit or Notary Bonds either. However, we’d be honored to be your #1 choice for Auto, Recreational Vehicle and Renters Insurance and are continuing to focus on meeting the needs of our community by offering Medicare and Life Insurance through our sister company, Curtis & Associates. If we may be of service to you in any, or all of these areas, please give us a call or come by our office at 509 7th St. in Lake Charles and let us help you! Until next time take care and remember…. Change is inevitable, how you handle it is up to you. Tommy Curtis and Staff Disclaimers: Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information. Not connected or affiliated with any United States Government or State agency Life and Medicare Products marketed through Curtis & Associates Financial Services, Inc. {A Life and Health Agency} |
Tommy Curtis
Is an insurance agent with integrity and your best interest in mind. Call to speak directly to him. Contact us Phone: 337-433-1683 Address: 509 7th Street Lake Charles, LA 70601 Office Hours: M-F 9a - 5p (CST) Follow Us
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