February 2012
19 posts
Blogs and such!
This will be the final blog from me…It has been great fun and an opportunity to express some ideas and share the day to day workings of a fictitious little Independent Insurance Agency…just like ours…
I appreciate those of you that have participated by reading and sending your comments over the past year and a half…I hope those who have been interested have gotten some...
"There are no big problems, there are just a lot...
Oh Oh!!!!… after returning from a client appointment in Burnsville last night, the transmission slipped in the Jag going up the hill on 101 near Hesse Farms….then the “gearbox” light came on….. Sorry Henry, but this isn’t a small problem…..so much for savings…
Earlier in the day I had a great appointment…. some guy who’s owned one of...
"That’s the miracle of babies, their ability to...
Sorry Heather…couldn’t find your last name again to give you just credit for this one…
I’ve refrained from such language in the past…but have grown particularly fond of the obvious word in the quotation above…for reasons I hope you will come to see..
It’s an interesting expression used to communicate a viewpoint of someone or some group of...
"Honest disagreement is often a good sign of...
Felt pretty proud of myself yesterday…closed on the contractor business I’d been working on..thanks to my good friends at Indiana Insurance…kudos Ms. Teri….and I’m three for four lately….which means my closing ratio is back where it should be after a terrible fourth quarter….referral from my son, the Banker…(I love referrals) If I can write four...
"Carpe per diem - seize the check".. Robin...
This was my second trip to Hugo having been there last Wednesday..this time it was at one of the owners homes….. I rang the doorbell several times but no answer…”Oh, it’s you..” when I called…and I sat down in the kitchen with the three partners…
After going through the proposal and answering eight or ten questions..(questions are a good sign in my...
"Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of...
“She passed away at 4:00 am…”… a call from my brother… we expected her death….but not quite as fast as it happened…
My Aunt has been a permanent fixture in my life since I can remember… at age 91 even 8 weeks ago, she was full of life and energy….”I don’t feel real good” she’d say…and “I can’t seem to...
"Everywhere is within walking distance if you have...
Who has time for anything?…. I was always under the impression that when you get older, you slow down….then I think…maybe I have but everything around me has sped up…..more to ponder….I just know time is an increasingly valuable and less available commodity…I feel like I’m running in six feet of water….in a swimming pool with wheels going downhill a...
"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main...
I actually had fun yesterday….but in so doing, I realized one of my weaknesses…. I’m a person (in business) who just wants to get to the point and move on…. I think from time to time, this sets my clients back just a bit….
I had to be at Dunn Brothers in Hugo at 9:00 a.m… I’m supposed to meet three contractor’s who are starting drywall...
"Lose not yourself in a far off time, seize the...
As Valentine’s Day’s go, yesterday was a plus I suppose….dinner was much better than the previous evenings Mustard Frenzy…I switched from Red to White to accommodate the too small Lobster Tails and Shrimp..I think it was the smoked Paprika that really made the difference…but great it was….
I have to be in Hugo at 9:00…some coffee shop to meet three guys...
"A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an...
I was white knuckling it all the way home….. the Jag is definitely not an Icy Weather car….rear wheel drive and slipping a sliding my way….and those hills are a real challenge….I finally made it…all the while..chatting with one of my buddies…Don from one of those “Farm” Insurance Companies……there really oughta be a law against talking on...
"Life grants nothing to us mortals without hard...
I’m looking out at a grey sky..an occasional little bird drops by the bird feeder for breakfast…then off it goes…the squirrels looking on in envy, having long since given up the quest to reach it..but the Mrs. puts peanuts out for them…just to even things up.. Haven’t seen a Deer, Coyote or Wild Turkeys yet this year…but they usually don’t show up till the...
"All change is not growth, as all movement is not...
Another Company Gal visit yesterday……same company as the “other” Company Gal from last week..couple of my favorites…
They both represent that company that came into Minnesota like Gangbusters a few years back….now, the senior management..(same guys that came in like Gangbusters) have been changed…because the probably didn’t listen to the...
"Mother Files $900 Trillion Lawsuit Against NYC...
Yes folks…you read it correctly… some woman..(and her lawyer) are suing the City of New York for $900 Trillion dollars….. First thought…some kooky lady…second thought some kooky lawyer…throw in a little greed and look what you get?
On second thought, this issue goes to the question that I get asked most often..in fact yesterday one of my clients called….....
"I have a simple philosophy: Fill what's empty....
My cell phone rang at 8:30 last night… “HI.. This is Wally….can’t make the appointment tomorrow…I’m up in Baudette”…..
This a rarety….. so rare I thanked the guy four times…. I had an appointment in Monticello this morning at 8:00 a.m… about 40 miles from here…
Our service set the appointment over a week ago…. on...
"To provide meaningful architecture is not to...
Parody
any humorous, satirical, or burlesque imitation, as of a person, event, etc.
Satire
a literary composition, in verse or prose, in which human folly and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or ridicule.
I point these two definitions out, lest I offend my friends, loved ones and co workers with this blog….As I write this, I truly do consider the feelings of others…then I look...
"Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further...
I’ve been here before….and I must admit I don’t like the feeling…..one bag said “Tiny Twists”.. and the other “Tiny Twists….low fat”…in big bold print.
The Mrs specifically said not to get the low fat ones.. and the shopping list didn’t say “Tiny” anything…. just “those small pretzel twists”… I...
"Teamwork is so important that it is virtually...
Busy week…but busy good, not busy bad…and today will be no different.. I have to be in Maple Plain at 10:15 to renew an account…. we are moving business we from with one carrier we said goodbye to, to another…and the new carrier has been doing a great job…but when we change companies, we need to see the client; collect money and sign lots of documents…then back...
"When the best leader's work is done the people...
Daring redundancy… I must say this is the second best time of the day… in my office downstairs, totally dark except for the light of the computer screen, quiet except for the noise of the small electric heater blowing on my bare feet…I’m on cup two of the coffee always waiting for me in the timed coffee maker…alone with my thoughts…The Mrs and Lily still...
"A satisfied customer is the best business...
“I’m in charge of developing this territory, so I’m due a little respect”…
Hmmmmmm…this was an email I received near the end of the day after an exchange over our attempts to get a carrier to quote a piece of business….the lack of respect was apparently due to one of our staff questioning the need for information that had already been supplied.
I sent...
January 2012
18 posts
"Business is never so healthy as when, like a...
Dawn is just breaking….I can see the light beyond the darkness and in 15 minutes all will be bright…another 40 degree day in February…. some suggest it’s global warming..but I got to thinking about that…. two years ago we had a terribly cold winter…and the year before that.. we had a ton of snow and cold… no one blamed it on global freezing… and when...
"Ya win a few... ya lose a few".... Unk.
The week ended with a huge dull thud….. I met one of my clients at his place of business….. “you know we get marketed by insurance agents all the time” was the way the conversation began…..oh oh…..”we going with a different broker”….”You’ve been great but……….”.. I felt like a head coach being told the team...
American Drivers, Old Dangers Continue To Claim...
David Strickland, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, says that safety first depends on an “attentive, responsible driver.”
Media coverage of driver safety has focused recently on the dangers posed by car technology, from seemingly unexplainable unintended acceleration to problems with keyless ignitions to accident-producing electronic...
If I shoot an intruder, will my home insurance...
Jill Overmyer
Does your home insurance policy cover acts of self-defense? If you think the answer is yes, you may be wrong. Whether you turn your dog loose on a prowler, punch a threatening neighbor or shoot a burglar, your homeowner’s liability insurance may not cover damages related to these acts of self-defense.
It’s all about intent
Even if the law recognizes your right to...
You, disabled? What are your chances?
Higher than you probably think. You can ignore the problem, but it’s hard to ignore the facts:
Just over 1 in 4 of today’s 20 year-olds will become disabled before they retire.
Freak accidents are NOT usually the culprit. Back injuries, cancer, heart disease and other illnesses cause the majority of long-term absences.
Are you prepared if it happens to you? Probably not. If...
What coverage is included in a standard homeowners...
A standard homeowners insurance policy includes four essential types of coverage. They include:
Coverage for the structure of your home.
Coverage for your personal belongings.
Liability protection.
Additional living expenses in the event you are temporarily unable to live in your home because of a fire or other insured disaster.
1. The structure of your house
This part of your policy pays...
What is an Annuity?
An annuity can be a great retirement investment vehicle. Annuities have some of the same benefits as other retirement plans such as the 401K plan or an individual traditional IRA. An annuity typically doesn’t have contribution limits, income limits, or mandatory withdraws like the other plans. Even though with an Annuity your after-tax dollars are used for contributions, the retirement...
Tips for getting the best insurance quotes.
General insurance tips:
Have your current insurance policy with you when requesting your insurance quotes.
Consider a higher insurance deductible.
Place all of your insurance policies with the same company to qualify for a multiple policy discount.
For car insurance quotes
Be sure all vehicle discounts are applied (Anti-lock brakes, Alarm system, daytime running lights, vin-etching, etc.).
...
Long-term care insurance: 12 questions to ask
Those who aren’t getting older can skip this story.
Still with us? Good. You are getting older, and at some point, your body will break down. Here are some scary statistics: Studies indicate that as many as 40 percent of Americans over 65 will spend time in a long-term care facility, that more than 70 percent over 65 will use some form of home health care, and that a year in a nursing home...
Do's And Don'ts When Insuring Your Home
DO: 1) Recognize that underinsurance after a total loss is a very common problem. Many homeowners find themselves underinsured after a total loss even though they followed their agent or insurer’s recommendations. If you find yourself in this position, get educated and enforce your rights. The promise of security that insurers advertise and sell is part of the contract you paid for....
How life insurance can save your heirs a bundle
Do you know what’s included in your taxable estate? If your heirs have to pay estate taxes, they may not have the cash to pay the bill without selling off some assets first.
[Let Insurance.com help you find affordable life insurance now.]
“People need to start thinking about estate taxes if they’re accumulating any type of wealth,” says Marvin Feldman, president and CEO...
"Insurance is about Worst Case Scenarios".....Idea...
Special Report …
Insurance Insider Reveals the Secrets of Effective, Comprehensive Protection:
What You as a Contractor Can – and Must – Do to Shield Your Business from Financial Disaster and Give You Peace of Mind!
By Steven Conrad
If you are like most people in business, your company is, next to your family, your pride and joy. It is also the major source of financial security for...
"Don't be penny wise and pound foolish"..Benjamin...
Insurance Insider Reveals Little-Known Secrets:
8 Ways to Save $$$ on Your Homeowners Insurance – And Provide Better Protection for Yourself and the People You Love!
By Steven Conrad
Your home is probably your most valuable asset. It is also a huge risk for you financially. What if something happens to it? A fire? A flood? Vandalism? What if someone visiting you slips, falls and suffers...
"The Circle of Safety: How to Protect yourself and...
Another article on Automobile Insurance I suspect you’ll find very helpful and interesting, from my partner “Idea Guy”…..
The Circle of Safety: How to Protect yourself and your family with automobile Insurance
By Steven Conrad
What you’ll discover in this report:
§ Insider secrets about how insurance companies price your insurance
§ How not to get ripped off when you...
"What do to in the event of a claim"...Steven...
This is probably the most important part of insurance….(except perhaps contract language itself)… Most people expect that when a loss occurs, you call it in…and instantly..money shows up…There are conditions and agreements and adjusters and a myriad of other details come into play…no one could say it better than my partner “Idea Guy”….:
Insurance...
"I'm extraordinarily patient provided I get my own...
Well, the year ended with a little bit of a letdown….
December we lost money..but that’s to be expected some months..My production surely suffered as well….so my ego and pride are not in optimum functioning order…and I have decided I may need to cut back on the administrative functions of my job to focus more in generating new business….a process I’ll have...
"Everywhere is within walking distance if you have...
Vacation time over…I got in the office “relatively” early…..the stacks of paper on my desk were daunting…and I just had to get through them so I could move on to the next thing……the gym bag sat on a chair as a reminder that my new years discipline was to “get” to Snap Fitness…..every day….
It sat there and beckoned me all...
"Muscles come and go; flab lasts"...Bill Vaughn
I worked out again yesterday…trying a new approach…I don’t commit to working out..I just commit to going to Snap Fitness…once I’m there….it gets easy…so the trick is in the going…
The exercise (which consists of walking on a treadmill for 25 minutes thus far) is working great….. I know because I sprained my fat…..
“Idea Guy”...
December 2011
20 posts
"Blogs are for anoraks who couldn't get published...
In British slang an anorak ( /ˈænəræk/) is a person who has a very strong interest, perhaps obsessive, in niche subjects….hmmmm and I thought an Anorak was just a Hack…..well, as for me, I am probably a hack more than an Anorak…because I have few strong interests and my only obsession is with my weight and my hair when it stands straight up in the morning after I get out of...
"I get my exercise acting as a pallbearer to my...
Chauncey Depew?????? ….. everyone has their own sense of logic….and or humor.
So, I made the first step yesterday…and went to Snap Fitness…I’ve been paying them for about three years now….and if they actually charged me for my exercise time used, I’d have a free lifetime membership by now…..
In any case I had on a too tight fitting...
"Men willingly believe what they wish"..Julius...
I made another mistake…..this is a big mistake…..I’m supposed to be on a vacation….since we don’t travel much, my vacations consist of staying at home, laying around…visiting and generally doing things I otherwise have no time to do…but the mistake I made was checking emails at the office and not staying away. I checked my emails yesterday..and I need to...
"Successful people are simply those with...
That simplifies things doesn’t it?…..develop two or three successful habits….it’s easier said than done though. Aren’t we all thinking about this in one form or another as another year passes by?…. New Years and change and all that?….Most of us start off with a bang…exercise and diet are great examples…the health clubs are packed with us right...
"Wise to resolve, and patient to perform".. Homer
A vacation day…a vacation week…..I ended the year with a dull thud production wise…I didn’t get any of the four Town-home Associations I was working on….the Horse Riding stable I was so optimistic about is all but dead because no insurance company wants the comp on that..so, I have one consultant that “looks” as though I may pick it up….
While...
"Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live...
Wow…..that’s really all I can say….Wow…..
I got on the scale this morning…a card came out….said “one at a time”…..
My battle with my weight is raging……and i’m losing……sure, I can blame the holidays and the sugar and the rich food….and simply the fact that its the holiday season….
But that’s...
"When I woke up this morning my wife asked me,...
I woke up at 3:00 am…..this CPAP machine is doing it’s job…I felt wide awake and rested..but I figured if I got up at 3:00, I’d simply go back to bed at 5:00 and wake up sleepy at 6:30….so I had the good sense to rollover and dream my dreams….my energy level is up too….I don’t come home and take naps..nor do I sleep on the sofa at night...
"Faith is not belief without proof, but trust...
A slow start and long finish yesterday…I got going and my first stop was the office…I had to get my “list” and check it twice..then off to one of those retail postage stores to send some cigars to Harvey….
I did some shopping and errand running including a short visit with a ham under my arm to my 92 year old Aunt and my cousin….I got home at 4:20 and my phone...
"He that would live in peace and at ease must not...
The little birds are back….the feeder filled and winter while delaying its inevitable arrival promises us daily of its presence whether real or imagined….like the birds feasting on the seeds, the squirrels in the tree’s scurrying from one branch to another…they know that only too soon, cold and snow will dominate the landscape forcing them to alter their habits…but...
"The becoming of man is the history of the...
I hate it…I absolutely hate it when I feel like I’m being “checked up on”….If I’m not where someone else thinks I should be…and the phone rings….and I get…”can you talk?”… or “what’s your schedule?”.. then… “are you at the office?”…then “where are you?”….
Both of my...
"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together...
The morning gloom remains…affects the spirit..dawn isn’t here yet…and I can just make out the outlines of the barren trees through the hint of light promising a brighter day..but the clouds are still with us from that rarest of rain storms in December that visited us yesterday….yet another day…another gift of life…so long as I keep that in mind…that the...
"The achievements of an organization are the...
My 11:30 appointment didn’t show (till I checked the calendar…) it was for this Friday at 11:30….My 1:30 did show..but she spent the afternoon downstairs….I left early …the CPAP didn’t seem to do it’s job the night before…stopped and got another bad haircut…and
As I walked through the door, my cell rang…. It was “Idea...
"I have as much authority as the Pope, I just...
The two company guys showed up just a bit early…one having driven all the way from Appleton, Wisconsin…..after a brief visit, we found them an office, computer and let them do what they do…..analyze existing accounts to roll to them….
After I returned to my office, the phone rang….”I say we stop flex time and don’t let anyone go home early from now...