Homeowners insurance and home warranties are both designed for one reason: to protect your home and the belongings in it.

But, both cover very different things.

What's the Difference?

Homeowners insurance policies cover your home and belongings in the case of fire, damages from storms – other than flooding, which is oftentimes a separate policy – and damages or losses due to burglary.

Home warranties on the other hand, which are more accurately and often times referred to as home service contracts, cover elements of your home that almost all homeowners will eventually need to repair or replace due to daily or frequent use. Home warranties cover things like a leaky dishwasher, a water heater that's no longer working properly, stoves, furnaces or AC units – anything where normal wear and tear are to blame for malfunction.

Home warranties and the belongings they cover all have one thing in common, and that is the statistical likelihood of needing repair or replacement during the course of their lifetime.

Home Warranties

The "warranty" label when referring to a home service contract is really a misnomer. Home warranties are not a promise from a manufacturer or a builder, so they really do not fit the traditional definition of a warranty, nor are they administered by them. The term home warranty has simply become a convenient label that consumers and people in the industry use.

But, a "home warranty" is, in fact, a contract, not a warranty.

Let's Clarify: Warranty vs. Contract

A product warranty typically comes from a manufacturer and is essentially a pledge that its product will not fail due to design or manufacturing defect within a given timeframe, usually up to a year. If the product fails within that designated time frame, the manufacturer is obligated to repair or replace their product.

But, a product warranty doesn't generally specify a timeframe in which the product will actually be repaired or replaced if it malfunctions. In fact, the manufacturer may require that the product be returned to them in order to decide whether or not to repair or replace the item. Some manufacturers may send a replacement during this time, but not all, and the process can be quite lengthy.

A service contract, on the other hand, typically goes well beyond a standard product warranty. When home warranty companies talk about their service contracts, a large part of those contracts include which items they'll repair or replace and the timeframe they'll do it in.

Read Carefully

It is paramount that consumers carefully read both homeowners insurance policies and home warranty contracts in order to best understand any loopholes and exclusions that exist. This is also important because there's no need for overlapping coverage, which can sometimes exist not just between homeowners insurance policies and home service contracts but also in any pre-existing warranties already purchased for owned items.

Historically, in the insurance and home service contract industries, there are high rates of consumer complaints that can be traced back to disagreements between homeowners and home service contract companies about what is covered and what is not. Consult directly with the authorizing companies about any open-ended or vague wording in their contracts. Clarity, before there's a claim, saves both the consumer and the administering insurance or home warranty company frustration, dissatisfaction and a lot of back and forth.

Claim and Coverage Comparison

All homeowners insurance policies and home service contracts are different. But, below are a few common examples of the difference between what's typically covered by a homeowners insurance policy and what's typically covered by a home service contract:

• 1.Claim: A tornado touches down in your neighborhood.
• Coverage: Tornadoes, unlike a flood or hurricane, are generally covered under homeowners insurance and do not require a separate endorsement, or "rider."

• 2.Claim: A kitchen fire.
• Coverage: Standard homeowners insurance policies cover structural damage and belongings in your home damaged by fire.

• 3.Claim: Your washing machine keeps going off balance and doesn't rinse your clothes anymore.
• Coverage: A competitive home warranty will usually provide for repair work or replacement to appliances like your washer and dryer due to normal wear and tear. But, your appliance must almost always be in good working condition before a warranty is in place in order for it to be covered.

• 4.Claim: A tree falls through your roof.
• Coverage: Homeowners insurance covers the cost of removing a tree and repairing the damage it caused due to strong winds knocking it over onto your roof or lightning striking it. But, if a tree falls due to neglect, you may not be covered.

• 5.Claim: Your dishwasher is leaking.
• Coverage: A home warranty, or home service contract, will usually repair or replace your dishwasher due to normal wear and tear.

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Are you a small business owner or a co-owner of a company? Among the many days to day responsibilities you encounter, you also are responsible for your family. You need to protect your family at home as well as your business family.

Life Insurance for Business Owners

Life insurance for business owners can help lay a proper financial foundation by protecting your current and future business. Let’s look into the different situations that life insurance can benefit your company or business.

Collateral Assignment Life Insurance

A life insurance policy can be used for business owners that require cash to begin a business or buy a company. Typically, when you buy a life insurance policy you will name a beneficiary. This beneficiary has an insurable interest to the insured. This beneficiary can be a family member, spouse or a business partner or company. When you’re getting a life insurance policy for an SBA loan or bank loan – it is the same overall concept. You have to assign a primary beneficiary, however- the lender will be named the collateral assignee. If you were to die the lender will get the balance of the loan from the life insurance death benefit. Your primary beneficiary will then get the balance once the loan is paid off.

What would happen in the event that you didn’t use a collateral assignment? If you had the lender the sole beneficiary, the lender would then collect one hundred percent of the life insurance policy’s death benefit. E-exchanger life insurance can help you avoid that.

Executive Bonus Plan Life Insurance

With an executive bonus plan, you’re using a compensating method for specific employees by paying the life insurance policy premiums on the key employee’s life. The employer or business owner will pay for a benefit that is owned by the executive or employee. There are benefits to both the employer and employee when it comes to Executive bonus plans.

For the employer, there is no administration needed, the plan is simple, and costs are tax deductible. For the employee, the executive is the owner of the life insurance policy and of the cash values. The policy is not lost if they were to change employers. The death benefit can be income tax-free.

Key Person Life Insurance

The purpose of key person life insurance is pretty basic:

A company buys a life insurance policy on a key employee, business owner or executive who is very important to the business. The company will apply for a life insurance policy, pay for all of the premiums and own the policy. The business is also the beneficiary of the life insurance policy. If the key person were to die, the company will receive the death benefit of the key person. The tax-free benefit can be used in a variety of ways. It can help make up for company sales as well as lost earnings. The benefit can also help cover some or all of the costs of finding a good replacement and provide proper training.

What would happen if the key person were to die unexpectedly? Could your business move forward without a hiccup? The life insurance death benefit can provide liquidity quickly so you can provide ongoing financial demands.

How about securing loans for your company’s growth? Sometimes loans are needed to help with the financing opportunities of expanding a business. Your lender will often seek collateral as security and the death of a key employee may pose too much of a risk to your lender. It is very common for a lender or bank to require key person life insurance on anyone that is vital to the life of your company.

One of the most important uses of key person life insurance is when there’s a need to buy out a deceased co-owner's interest in a company. There are some unfortunate situations that can arise if a key person policy isn’t in place. How would the deceased co-owner's family receive their share of the interest in the business without selling it off? How would the surviving owners pay off the dead owner’s family in order to avoid becoming partners with them?

Buy Sell Agreement with Life Insurance

When you’re an owner of a company or a partner in a business, a buy sell agreement can be an excellent way to avoid uncertainty. When a partner or company owner dies, the life of the business and its future are uncertain. With a buy-sell agreement, you can make sure you’re helping to protect you and your company from the unexpected or unintended transfer of ownership. By considering a buy sell agreement and funding it with life insurance, you can provide protection and extend the life of your company.

The buy sell agreement will aid the sale and purchase of a company based on a specified event. The most common events are retirement, disability or death of the owner of the company. The buy-sell will lay out specifically who will get what with regards to shares of the business. It will define how much and it will guarantee the buyer at a predetermined price. The buy-sell agreement also allows for the purchasing of company shares from the estate of the surviving family. Lastly, a buy-sell can be beneficial with creditors. Creditors will most likely be much easier to deal with when they can see that a company has protection established to make the loan decisions easier.

Business Succession Planning

Life insurance plays an important role as the driving force in succession planning. It is key that you have adequate coverage for you and your business partners. You need to get a formal valuation of your company and make sure that your coverage is updated with the growth of your company. Succession planning is a very important topic and can be vital to your business. If you let the estate plan dictate how your company transitions, it may cause significant issues. There are many companies that have had disastrous results due to poorly designed succession plans. Just ask the Robbie family and the Miami Dolphins.

Get Started

If you’re ready to get started, make sure you work with the following 3 resources:

• Attorney
• CPA
• Life Insurance Broker

You’ll need experts in each of these areas in order to secure the best strategy and policy for your business succession plan.

How to Get Quotes and Apply

Once your plan is in place you can begin shopping for your life insurance policy. Simply use the free quote on this page to get an idea of rates.

However, the best way to secure coverage is to have our research customized quotes. You can simply contact us at AMEZones.com.  We’re independent and licensed life insurance agents. We’ll find you the best policy at the most competitive price from dozens of top rated life insurance companies. Once we find you the lowest rate, we’ll help you apply conveniently online or over the phone. We’ll help you from start to finish.

When you buy a vehicle you will be provided various options to buy along-side of it and one such choice is that of extended automobile warranty. Sometimes referred to as a service contract, or extended service program, an extended automobile warranty is designed to offset repair expenses following the purchase of a new or used automobile. In essence, an extended warranty is a safeguard against costly, unforeseen repairs. Not to be confused with manufacturer’s warranties, an extended warranty kicks in subsequent to the expiration of the manufacturer’s bumper to bumper warranty. An extended auto warranty is typically sold as a separate contract, and – unlike a manufacturer’s auto warranty – is not included in the purchase price.

You need to be aware of the benefits of this extended service program which coincide with this option even as you consider whether to obtain this kind of warranty for your car and this will assist you to find out whether an extended auto warranty is the suitable choice for you. There are a couple of benefits of having this kind of warranty. First, it provides the car owner of with peace of mind in recognizing that a number of aspects are covered. Because each warranty type will differ with regards to what’s covered under it, it’s imperative to peruse the extended service program document in order to see the coverage points included. By choosing an extended auto warranty you will understand that certain areas are covered on your vehicle in case something happens, which will result in the vehicle requiring to be fixed.

Extended auto warranties will also ascertain that your financial investment gets protected. Because many people live on a restricted budget, it is usually a good idea to put forth the finances whenever you have them in order that you won’t be caught short in the future should anything go wrong with the automobile and you’ll have to get it fixed. Besides, the cost of an extended automobile warranty is oftentimes much more reasonable as compared to what you would be needed to pay should one necessitate to have their car fixed in the future. As a result, by you spending a smaller sum of money in the beginning you might save quite a couple of dollars eventually should replacement parts or repairs be necessary for your automobile.

In the strictest sense of the word, this is not a warranty at all. Like auto warranties, this plan covers repairs for an agreed upon period of time. True warranties, however, are included in the cost of the car; extended auto warranties are actually service contracts, or extended service program because they cost extra and are sold separately. An extended automobile warranty may be bought at the time you purchase your vehicle; it is also possible to buy one much further along in your car ownership experience. If you are the type who prefers to be prepared for all eventualities, an extended warranty may be just what you are looking for. Considering the ever-increasing cost of car repairs, these service contracts do make a lot of sense. If you are interested in buying an extended automobile warranty, you need to know that the car service contracts industry is slowly moving away from the phrase “warranty” since it is confusing to consumers. Try looking for “Extended Service Programs” instead.

A moving violation can be a serious mistake or a minor one. In many situations, your auto insurance provider is there to help you through mistakes you might make. However, there are some situations where it can become difficult to obtain auto insurance. If you are labeled a high-risk driver, it may be hard to obtain car insurance or affordable plans. There are several things to keep in mind in this situation.

Can You Be Denied?

Most states have requirements that those who operate a motor vehicle (or own one) must have auto insurance in place. This is required for nearly all drivers. However, car insurance providers are able to deny individuals coverage if the driver is too high of a risk to insure. It can be hard to obtain insurance if you have such a label because the risk of another mistake, accident or moving violation is high.

By definition, a high-risk driver is someone who has a higher potential of filing a claim at some time in the future. Insurers view these individuals as high risk and costly, therefore charging a significant amount more to cover individuals, or simply denying coverage altogether. There are many reasons for this outcome, including a DUI/DWI conviction, illegal street racing, excessive speeding, reckless driving, driving without licensing and traffic violations in which a person died or got seriously injured.

What Should You Do?

If you are a high-risk driver, you will need to work to minimize such risks going forward. More so, if you find a policy that offers coverage to you, be sure to do everything you can to reduce your points. In some cases, you may be able to take a driving course to reduce your points. You may need to obtain an SR-22 as well, which generally is a requirement by the department of motor vehicles. Most people can find a policy available to them, though it can be expensive and hard to do without the help of an independent insurance agent. The right auto insurance provider is likely available even for high-risk drivers.

It was a world-famous heart surgeon, Dr. Marius Barnard, who created critical illness insurance, as he saw how the financial stress that accompanied cancer, heart attack and stroke was killing his patients. This type of insurance typically gives you a lump-sum cash payment if you are diagnosed with one of the illnesses specified in your critical illness policy.

No matter how you’d use the money, critical illness insurance always does one thing: It reduces financial stress.

But one of the challenges of critical illness insurance is understanding the many ways you can use the benefit—the money paid out—if you ever need it. Here are some of the ways I have seen:

1. To pay for deductibles, co-pays and other out-of-pocket expenses related to health care. This is the most obvious use, especially as deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses for health insurance plans continue to increase.

2. Expenses not covered by health insurance like travel, hotels, babysitting, etc. I know a person who had a great health insurance plan. He was diagnosed with colon cancer. His doctor told him, “You need to go to MD Anderson.” Complicating the whole issue, he and his wife had just had a child. So, they took his father-in-law along to watch his son. He had to charge airfare, meals and the hotel costs to his credit card. Several years later, he was still paying off that credit card.

3. Income protection, especially for the self-employed. If a self-employed person has an income-protection plan, including disability insurance, it most likely will have a 90-day elimination period before benefits are paid. One self-employed person I know was diagnosed with cancer. She would take her chemo treatments on Fridays. Then she would use the weekend to recover and try to be back at work on Monday or Tuesday. She did not miss enough days from work to meet her elimination period. Did cancer impact her income? Significantly!

4. Mortgage protection. Many people purchase life insurance so that if anything happens to them, the family’s home will be paid off and the family will be able to stay in the home. But what’s more likely to happen while paying on a mortgage—death or a critical illness? Depending on age, you could be as much as four times more likely to suffer a critical illness while paying a mortgage than to die.

Typically, insurance that covers from two to five years of mortgage payments will help significantly through the transition. A great thought-provoking question is, “Would it reduce your financial stress if you are diagnosed with cancer to know your mortgage will be paid for two years?”

5. Retrofit a home or car. I had a woman tell me that her husband had had a stroke. The couple had to take out a second mortgage to make modifications to their home, including a wheelchair ramp, significant changes to their bathroom, and the widening of doorways to accommodate the wheelchair.

No matter how you’d use the money, critical illness insurance always does one thing: It reduces financial stress. There is always emotional stress for a family with a family member who has a critical illness. Emotional stress increases directly with financial stress. A critical illness plan reduces the financial stress, which then reduces emotional stress. If you’d like to learn more about this important coverage, contact your insurance agent or advisor.

Working for “the man” got you down? Just wait till he takes your life insurance policy away.

If you’re fortunate enough to work for a company that offers employee benefits, life insurance through a group policy might be among the perks you can take advantage of. Group life insurance policies generally offer a decent amount of coverage at a reasonable price and some give the option of adding a certain level of additional (supplemental) coverage.

Sounds great, right? Now you can check getting life insurance off of your “to do” list.

Or not.

While group life insurance through your employer is far better than no life insurance at all, it may not be enough to protect your family from financial hardship if the unthinkable were to happen to you.

The Downsides to Many Group Insurance Policies 

• Coverage Limits—Some policies may set a limit on the amount of coverage you can get. Often, the coverage you’re eligible for will be based on some multiple of your income. To obtain more coverage, you may have to apply for an additional policy from another source.

• Less Flexibility in Benefit Options—Group life insurance doesn’t typically provide the option of adding benefit riders like those for accelerated death, child term, or disability.

• Lack of Control Over Your Policy—With the policy owned by your employer, not by you, you could find yourself with no life insurance if your boss reduces the benefits or entirely drops the group policy.

And there’s more. 

The Biggest Potential Problem with Group Life Insurance 

Now you Have it, Now you Don’t—A group policy typically disappears if you’re laid off or if you voluntarily leave the company. So, if that’s your only source of life insurance, you’re banking on the idealistic vision that you’ll be working for your employer for a long time. Unfortunately, real world data shows that’s not very likely. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with their current employer was 4.6 years in 2014.

While some group policies are portable, allowing you to take coverage with you by remaining a part of the group after you leave a company, with most you simply lose coverage. If you opt to continue coverage with the group policy, be warned—you might find yourself paying a rather hefty premium to the insurance company.

Some group life policies offer the option to convert them to individual policies. These are also generally quite expensive, but they offer the advantage of being guaranteed issue. 

Term Life: An Affordable Way to get More Peace of Mind

According to LIFE Happens.org, four out of every ten married couples have only group coverage. And one in four Americans believes he/she needs more life insurance. If your only form of life insurance protection is through your company’s policy, individual term life insurance might be just the thing you need to protect your loved ones financially and give yourself peace of mind.

Term life insurance offers coverage at premiums often significantly less than those for portable group and whole life policies. Best of all, they’re flexible in the amount of coverage you can apply for and the length of the time (the term) your policy will be in effect. Typical term periods are 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years. The term period locks in the policy cost for that specific time and your rates will not increase at any point during your coverage.

You can quickly and easily get a term life quote online. And if you need help determining how much coverage your family might need or have other questions about term life insurance, reach out to a trusted life insurance professional for guidance.

Term life insurance can be seen as income replacement if you were to die prematurely.  It’s affordable and customizable.  One of the ways you can customize your term life insurance is with the term length.

The term length of a policy determines how many years you have insurance coverage for.  A permanent life insurance policy lasts forever – hence calling it “permanently.”  A term life insurance policy lasts a specific number of years – a “term”.  The typical term length options are 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years.  So, if you were 30 years old and you purchased a 25-year term policy, you would be insured until you were 55 years old.

A 10-year term policy is one of the cheapest life insurance policies you can buy, which makes sense because the coverage it provides lasts the fewest amount of years.

Even though a 10-year policy may not last very long, there are still situations in which it makes sense to purchase one.

Buy a 10-year term policy if it’s all you can afford.

You may have a lot of bills.  Maybe you’ve got credit card debt.  You couldn’t possibly afford to buy life insurance now, right?  Wrong.  It’s in situations like these when you likely need life insurance the most and can’t afford not to have it.  If your income were to suddenly disappear, what would happen to your family?  If you were already struggling financially, your death won’t make things easier.  Final expenses – such as any debt you had and your funeral costs – would be up to your family to somehow pay.

A 10-year term policy can protect your income and your family’s future while you work toward paying off debt.  A little bit of life insurance is always better than none at all.  Once your finances are more secure, if you decide you want to purchase more life insurance this is always an option.  You can either convert your 10-year policy into a permanent policy (if your policy is convertible) or you can purchase a new term policy.

Buy a 10-year term policy if you are close to retirement.

Most of the time term life insurance policies are purchased to cover the most financially-vulnerable years, such as when your children are small and you have quite a few years left on your mortgage loan.  Other times term life insurance policies are purchased to protect financial responsibilities that may crop up later in life, such as the purchase of a vacation home or your adult child’s graduate school tuition.

As an example, let’s say you are 55 years old and you and your spouse pull the trigger and finally buy that dream condo on the ocean.  It will be a great place for your children and grandchildren to visit.  However, one of your children isn’t quite done with graduate school and tuition isn’t decreasing anytime soon.  You have savings, Social Security benefits will be starting soon, and even though you’re healthy, you still want to be sure that if the unexpected happened, your spouse wouldn’t have to sell the condo and your child could finish school.

Buy a 10-year term policy to supplement your existing life insurance.

Perhaps you planned ahead when you were young and bought life insurance right after your first child.  You locked in a great low premium payment for a 30-year $250,000 term policy.  Perfect.  Your child will be financially protected through her college years and your spouse could pay for your funeral and rent each month.

Now, fifteen years later you’re 40 years old and realize that your $250,000 policy won’t cover your $400,000 mortgage loan.  Instead of applying for a brand new 30-year policy with a $500,000 coverage amount, you can opt to add to your current coverage with a new 10-year policy $250,000 policy.  This will ensure you have an appropriate amount of coverage for the next ten years while you’re paying off your mortgage and through your daughter’s college years – without being over-insured.

Buy a 10-year term policy to protect a loan.

Whether you need to take out a personal or business loan, lenders need to know how you plan on paying back the loan.  They also like a backup plan as assurance that they won’t lose money should you die unexpectedly before the balance is paid in full.  One such option is to assign a term policy as your payment backup should you die.  Lenders will be more inclined to approve your loan if they see you have all intentions of paying it back – even in death.

Interested in a 10-year term life insurance policy?  Finding out how little a policy may cost you is incredibly easy.  Visit AMEZones.com/lifeinsurance. – run as many quotes as you want without being required to enter contact information.  We look forward to helping you purchase life insurance.

If someone asked us when parents should consider and begin to practice child safety as it relates to cars, we’d answer that these things should start before their child is even born.

This may sound strange, but as any mother will tell you, the impact from a child begins months before birth. Thus, our answer to the previous question. Since mothers are carrying unborn children for the gestation period, child safety is impacted by the mother’s safety.

While expectant mothers are undergoing physical changes to their bodies, such as the expansion in their abdomens and widening of their hips in the first trimester — changes that continue for all 40 weeks they’ll carry their child — we suggest the same for them as we would any other driver. Wearing their seat belts.

We’ve heard the myth that seat belts endanger the lives of the unborn, but it’s just that — a myth, as long as seat belts are worn properly. That means expectant mothers should wear their seat belts, with the lap belt should be across her hips and below her belly, and the shoulder belt should be across her chest, between the breasts.

Car Seat Installation

With the new arrival of a bundle of joy, we shift from the safety of the mother to the child itself. It may be easy to think that installing a car seat is a simple matter. Put the child seat in the car, insert child, and we’re done, right?

Not so fast. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) says 75% of car seats are installed and/or used incorrectly. Fortunately, many hospitals have Child Passenger Safety (SPC) Technicians who can help parents of newborns properly install and secure their car seats.

But what do you do if you’re on your own? While the documentation and instructions included with the child seat is a good start, we think the NHTSA’s free child safety seat inspection centersare also worth the few minutes of time they’ll take to visit. These government-funded centers are based throughout the nation, and they’ll help to ensure a child seat is installed correctly, preferably using the LATCH system.

LATCH, or the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children system, has been standard equipment on every car sold in the United States since 2002. All child seats produced since that time are also LATCH compliant. The system employs different sets ofÿanchors to be used with child restraints.

However, if you don’t have access to these resources then you’re left to install it yourself. With all the latches and straps installation may seem complicated. But don’t worry; we’ve got you covered below.

Installation for Infants

The primary role of a car seat for infants is to protect the head and neck, which are the most vulnerable to long-term complications in the event of a collision. There are two types of car seats for infants: rear-facing, infant-only; and convertible seats. Rear-facing, infant-only care seats are ideal for newborns but they become obsolete once the child grows to more than 20 pounds. When you’re installing your little one’s car seat we suggest you follow the steps outlined in the manufacturer’s instruction manual. However, here are some general tips that will help you properly secure your newborn. If you’re more of a visual learner you can watch installation videos provided by the NHTSA.

• If you can move the car seat more than an inch then the straps aren’t tight enough. To get them tight enough we suggest you find a way to put your weight into the car seat and then pull the straps as hard as you can. It’s important that the seat moves as little as possible while you’re in transit.
• Ensure the carrier straps are tight and the harness clip is even with your baby’s shoulders or armpits and the straps are in the slot that lines up close to the infant’s shoulders.
• If your baby has some extra space in the seat you can place rolled receiving blankets or towels on each side to keep him or her from wobbling. Avoid placing anything under the harness straps.
• Locking clips are necessary for some vehicles made before 1997. This is necessary because these vehicles don’t have seat belts that lock when the brakes are slammed, so the clip keeps belt from slipping if an accident occurs.
• Your baby’s head should be at least two inches below the top of the safety seat and make sure the seat is set at a 30 to 45-degree angle.
• You can see more tips at DMV.org or Kids Health.

Convertible seats, the alternative to rear-facing, infant-only seats, are designed so that they can be used by infants after they’re heavier than 20 pounds. When the baby reaches that weight the seat can be turned to face forward and it’s secured with three types of harnesses: T-shield, tray shield, and five-point. All of these types meet required safety standards, but the five-point harness is regarded as the best option since it can be tightened to fit snugly and it doesn’t get in the way of the baby’s head. When installing a convertible seat you should make sure all straps are as tight as possible to prevent it from wobbling.

Ages One to Three

While infants should always be placed in rear-facing car seats, once a child has reached at least one year of age and weighs at least 20 pounds they can utilize forward-facing child safety seats installed in the rear of the car. That being said, they’re safer in a rear-facing seat, so keep them in one for as long as possible.Forward-facing seats, like the ones that come before, should be installed using LATCH rather than seat belts, if possible. Here are some other tips:

• If you’re installing a forward-facing seat make sure it’s set directly against the back and bottom of the car seat. When you’re installing the seat make sure to put weight on the seat to push it back as far as possible so the straps will be as tight as they can be.
• Make sure the seat can’t move side to side or tip forward more than an inch. If it does then unbuckle it and try again.
• If your car was made before 1996 then you’ll probably need to buy a locking clip to prevent the lap and shoulder seat belts from slipping.
• Make sure the straps lie flat and tug on them to make sure they’re secure once your baby is fastened into the seat.
• If you can pinch any of the harness material between your fingers then it’s too loose and needs to be adjusted.

Ages Four to Seven

There are no rear-facing car seats available for this age group, and we don’t know of any children of this age group that would be content to sit facing the rear of the car. So, once a child reaches age four, you’ll have no choice but to move to a forward-facing seat.

Keep a child in this age range in their child seat until they outgrow either the height or weight limits specified by the seat manufacturer. Once this happens, it’s time to switch to a booster seat.

Ages Eight to Twelve

Once a child reaches eight years of age or is at least 4’9” tall, they should be placed in booster seats. Most booster seats simply elevate the child’s seating position and enable them to use the standard seat belts on a car. LATCH is not required nor should it be used with booster seats.

At some point during this period, you’ll likely transition the child from booster seat to just using the standard seat belt of the automobile with no otherÿencumbrances. Make sure they’re wearing the belt properly, with the lap portionÿacross their upper thighs and the shoulder portion across their chest.

Other Considerations

We’ve heard lots of chatter regarding the so-called “combination seats.” These seats are marketed as being able to go from a rear facing infant seat to a forward facing toddler seat and then finally to a booster seat for older children. A testing study performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found significant problems with these combination seats.

Children should always ride in the back seat of a car, if possible, no matter if they’re in a car seat, a booster seat, or if they’re old enough to wear seat belts.ÿAll modern cars now have both driver side and passenger side front airbags, which are designed for full-sized adults. Airbags can injure or kill a child, and the back seat is simply the safest place in the car.

Finally, don’t assume that just because your child isn’t in a car that all auto-related dangers areÿabated. Child pedestrians are killed at a greater rate than any other age group. In fact, male children, aged 5 to 9 years old, are the largest group of pedestrians killed every year. Children can still fall victim to an automobile by darting into a road without looking or by playing on a street.

Few people are prepared to handle the financial burden of long-term health care. In fact, many people have a false sense of security when it comes to long-term care. Let’s separate fact from fiction:

“Medicare and my Medicare supplement policy will cover it.”

FACTS:

• Medicare and “Medigap” insurance were never intended to pay for ongoing, long-term care. Only about 12% of nursing home costs are paid by Medicare, for short-term skilled nursing home care following hospitalization. (Source: Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance, AHIP, 2013)
• Medicare and most health insurance plans, including Medicare supplement policies, do not pay for long-term custodial care. (Source: 2017 Medicare & You, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)

“It won’t happen to me.”

FACTS:

• Almost 70% of people turning age 65 will need long term care services and supports at some point in their lives. (Source: LongTermCare.gov, November 2016)
• About 67% of nursing home residents and 70% of assisted living residents are women. (Source: Long-Term Care Providers and Services Users in the United States, February 2016, National Center for Health Statistics)

“I can afford it.”

FACTS:

• As a national average, a year in a nursing home is currently estimated to cost about $92,000. In some areas, it can easily cost well over $110,000! (Source: Genworth 2016 Cost of Care Survey, April 2016)
• The average length of a nursing home stay is 835 days. (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nursing Home Care FastStats, last updated May 2014)
• The national average cost of a one bedroom in an assisted living facility in the U.S. was $43,539 per year in 2016. (Source: Genworth 2016 Cost of Care Survey, April 2016)
• Home health care is less expensive, but it still adds up. In 2016, the national average hourly rate for licensed home health aides was $20. Bringing an aide into your home for 20 hours a week can easily cost over $1,600 each month, or almost $20,000 a year. (Source: Genworth 2016 Cost of Care Survey, April 2016)

“If I can’t afford it, I’ll go on Medicaid.”

FACTS:

• Medicaid, or welfare assistance, has many “strings” attached and is only available to people who meet federal poverty guidelines.

Whether purchased for yourself, your spouse or for an aging parent, long-term care insurance can help protect assets accumulated over a lifetime from the ravages of long-term care costs.

Alarm systems and motion detectors can offer you protection and security, but there are other steps you can take to prevent your home from being burglarized.

According to Statistics Canada, alarm systems have helped reduce the number of home break-ins. Insurance companies favor those who have such security systems in place, however, follow our additional steps to further prevent home break-ins.

Doors and windows MUST be locked.

To prevent a break-in, always lock your doors and windows, especially when you aren’t home. Make sure that windows can’t be open from the outside, but that you can unlock them from the inside in case of an emergency. It’s important to change your locks or combinations if you move into a new home or lose your key. You can also use security bars on basement windows or sliding doors. If you have a spare key outside your home, make sure it’s well hidden.

Keep valuables out of sight.

Closing your blinds and curtains at night can stop people from seeing in, but you should also keep valuables out of sight. If a thief can see valuable items, such as jewellery or electronics, they are more likely to break-in. Small valuable items can easily be taken from your home. Keep these items in a safety deposit box or an unlikely place. It is always a good idea to take an inventory of your valuables in your home with videotapes or photographs.

What to do while you are away.

Home break-ins are less likely if it looks like someone is home. Before leaving for vacation, stop your mail or have someone pick it up for you. To make your house look lived in you can keep your grass cut, a shoveled driveway, and a car in the driveway. You can also use timers on your lights. If you have a good relationship with your neighbour, let them know how long you will be away so they can keep an eye on your home. Avoid posting on social media that you are going away and wait until you are back to post those great vacation pictures!

Remember to limit the number of people who know you will be away from your home. We hope you have found our prevention tips useful!