4 Survival Skills for Everyday Life

Lets face it, we all live extremely busy lives and sometimes the small things that happen in our daily lives can really upset us if we are not prepared. We wanted to share just 4 tips to help make your life just a little easier and possibly avoid any major problems! 

1. Lower Fridge Temp Before A Power Outage:

Living in this small community we experience a lot of random power outages that are impossible to prepare for. But when you get the notice from the electric company of scheduled power outages you can prepare to make sure that your food does not go bad. It is also a good idea to keep an eye on the weather forecast and when a large storm is coming through you can also make sure to lower that temp down, just in case! A full freezer can last up to 2 days without power, but the food in a fridge will start to go bad with in 4 hours. Once the power is restored just make sure.

2. Invading Pests: Look At Things From Animal Eye Level:

Lets face it we have all had, sometime in our life, a problem with pests. It is important to check the perimeter of your home and yard closely, as if you were an animal invader. Look for holes around the foundation that pests can enter. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, any opening larger than a quarter of an inch should be sealed up. Be sure to check out areas around porches, decks and even window air conditioning units. And don’t forget to look up. Animals can scale walls and trees, so trim those tree branches by the house; that way, they can’t use them as pathways into your home. We all know that if we are not careful these pests can become a serious problem!

3. Random Injuries: Honey Is A Sweet Salve For Treating Scrapes:

The next time someone has a minor boo-boo, reach for the honey. The National Center for Biotechnology Information says it’s a great natural germ killer and antiseptic for cuts and scrapes because it contains hydrogen peroxide. The thick, viscous nature of honey also forms a natural barrier and even helps prevent scarring, too. And on top of all that, it can even work on antibiotic-resistant bacteria like MRSA.

4. Darkness: LED Flashlights Last Longer:

If your power goes out, battery-powered LED flashlights and lanterns are a good idea because they last six to 10 times longer than incandescent models, according to familyhandyman.com. It’s also smart to get some of those LED puck lights that are typically used for under-cabinet lighting. They run on batteries and can be placed in bathrooms, bedrooms and hallways. 

It is always better to be prepared and ready for what life is going to throw at you! 

It's a Jungle out there... are you ready? 

Does Home Insurance cover floods?

You don't have to live in a high-risk flood zone to be affected by a flood. Floods and flash floods can occur anywhere, even in the desert. Just an inch of water can cause damage to your property. In fact, in the U.S., flood related losses cost people more then a billion dollars a year. 

We have witnessed just how devastating a flash flood can be just within the last couple of days. The town 60 miles east of us, Rock Springs, Wy, was hit with a flash flood. So many people have lost almost everything they own. As an insurance agent it is heart breaking to see. Here are just a few photos of the damage done this week in Rock Springs.

Did you know that damage caused from a flood is not covered under your home insurance policy? Even minor incidences, for example, leaving your sprinkler on all night and your basement floods, or ground water seeping into the basement is not covered by your home policy. 

Did you know that Allstate offers flood insurance? Here are a few points and tips to keep you informed about the importance of having flood insurance to make sure you are protecting yourself. 

The Benefits Of Flood Insurance.

Though the government determines flood insurance coverage and premiums, you can still purchase your flood policy through Allstate—even if you don't have an existing property policy with us. So why choose Allstate for flood insurance? Because it gives you access to invaluable features and benefits, like:

• 24/7 nationwide claims support and assistance
• A dedicated agent who can help you understand your flood coverage
• Assistance finding discounts to help you maximize your savings

Fast Facts About Claims And Coverage.

Understanding your flood risk and what flood insurance typically protects can help you choose coverage that meets your needs. Here are some facts you should know:

• The average flood loss is $38,0002.
• Nearly 25 percent of all flood insurance claims come from areas not considered high risk1.
• There is a waiting period before your flood insurance policy goes into effect, typically 30 days from the application and premium payment date2.
• If flood insurance is required for your mortgage loan, you may not have to wait 30 days. Usually, the loan closing date will be the effective date3.
• Flood insurance can help protect you even if a federal disaster isn't declared.
• Less than 50 percent of all flooding incidents are awarded a Federal Disaster Assistance declaration4, and most disaster assistance is provided in the form of a loan that must be repaid with interest5.

Protect Against Other Types Of Water Damage.

Most flood insurance policies and basic property insurance policies do not cover water backup damage. This type of damage is typically caused by water that overflows from a sump pump or backs up through sewers or drains.

Even A Little Water Can Cause Big Damage.

Flood insurance coverage can help you protect your property and your belongings. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) determines coverage and premiums, but when you purchase a flood policy from Allstate, you'll get the support of a knowledgeable agent and service you can count on.

A flood insurance policy can help protect your house, condo, apartment, mobile home or even your business. Most flood insurance policies can include three types of coverage: building coverage, contents coverage and replacement cost coverage. Each of these coverage options offers different kinds of protection.

• Building coverage
  This protects the physical structure of your home or non-residential property.
• Contents coverage
  This covers your belongings—the items inside your home. Some examples include clothing, furniture, microwaves and grills.
• Replacement cost coverage
  This coverage helps reimburse you for the cost of replacing your home. Replacement cost coverage is only available to owners of single-family, primary residences that are insured to within 80 percent of the total replacement cost1.

Your flood insurance could also help cover the cost of items, like sandbags, used to protect your property from the imminent danger of a flood. Contents coverage and replacement cost coverage is not included in all polices. Be sure to talk to an agent to understand what is covered and what isn't.

Learn About Flood Insurance Limits.

An insurance limit is the highest amount your policy will pay for a covered loss. If you have damage or losses over the amount of your policy limit, you are responsible for those costs. The NFIP offers the following maximum limits for most flood insurance policies:

• Building coverage can typically insure your residential building's structural elements up to $250,000, or your non-residential building at up to $500,0002. Replacement coverage may be available for single-family, primary residences.
• Contents coverage can typically insure your belongings at up to $100,000 for residential policies and up to $500,000 for non-residential policies2. Contents are covered for actual cost value, which is the value of the item at the time it's lost—not the item's purchase price. Replacement cost coverage is not available for contents.

We hope that you found this information helpful. Please contact us to learn more about flood insurance and how you can get your policy going today. 

Don't wait till it's too late!

  

Allstate College

This week our staff was able to attend Allstate College in Casper, Wy for some training. With all 5 of the employees hittin the road, that left Casey and Bill to hold down the fort back home. all 3 offices! Tuesday night all 5 employees loaded up in the compact work car and were off! 

Every two years we get the opportunity to attend a training to help us learn to better serve our customers!  

Allstate's Mission:

"Allstate always treats me with Respect and Values my Relationship"

" My local Allstate agency knows me and makes me SMART about the risks of my life"

"Allstate helps me recover from Unexpected losses and assists me in Preventing them from happening"

"They help me best use my Hard Earned Money to protect what matters most to me"

Here are just a few of the great things and refreshers that we took away.

* Do your customer really know what "Full Coverage" means? It is our job to make sure that each and every customer is informed and has the proper coverage's to fit their needs.

* Do your customers have the proper coverage on their homes? It's our job to make sure that we have all the correct details on the interior and exterior of the home to make sure in the event of a loss they are getting the correct compensation. 

* Do your customer know that Allstate offers Life Insurance? It's our job to make sure that each and every customer is aware that Life Insurance is also a service that Allstate offers. 

* Do your customers know that it's your job to "Thrill" them at each and every transaction? It's our job to make sure our customers receive excellent customer service each and every time! 

WE LOVE TRAINING. We are back and ready to serve you! We will be starting reviews of polices to make sure that our customers are taken care of. 

We also managed to have some fun after our training was over each day. 

Now back at the offices..... Casey and Bill worked their little hineys off and rocked it! Did you stop in for your Donuts and Selfie? 

Please stop in to any one of our 3 offices to get a quick review of your policy! 

We look forward to Thrilling you today! 

A Small Act of Kindess

We have mentioned several times throughout our blog just how much we love living in this great community. Sometimes, tragedy strikes and when that happens we witness just how amazing this small community can be when they come together. 

A long time local resident, Lance Walker, lost his life in a dirt biking accident. He is survived by his wife and 2 daughters. He was always so full of life and loved by so many. It was our pleasure to sponsor the Act of Kindness Fundraiser along with many other local businesses. Big County Properties, LLC, All Edge Roofing, Color Me Crazy Salon and Boutique and High Altitude Divers. 

How it works: 

Stop into one of our locations to Purchase your ticket for the Cokeville Miracle Movie Tuesday-Friday of this week. All tickets are $7 each, the tickets need to be purchased through these locations to go towards the proceeds for the fundraiser. The ticket must be redeemed through Bridger Valley Theatre while the show is playing

All Proceeds will be donated to Lance's wife and children. A little Act of Kindness can help heal in a tragic time. 

As always, we appreciate the support! 

Here is a little back story on the Cokeville Miracle, the tragic event that happened in Wyoming many years ago. Miracles do happen. Do you believe?

The Cokeville Elementary School hostage crisis occurred on May 16, 1986, in Cokeville, Wyoming, United States, when former town marshal David Young 44, and his wife Doris Young 47, took 136 children and 18 adults hostage at Cokeville Elementary School.

David Young entered the school with his wife transporting a large gasoline-filled device that appeared to be a bomb. The couple corralled a large group of students and teachers into a single classroom. David Young attached the bomb to his wrist and threatened the group that he might, at any time, move his arm and ignite the bomb.

After a two-and-a-half hour standoff, the children were becoming restless, so the teachers led them in prayer. The praying appeared to make David Young agitated and he decided to leave the room. Before leaving the room, David Young attached the bomb's detonation device to his wife's wrist.

When the children became increasingly loud, Doris Young began begging the teachers to settle the group down. At one point she lifted her arm sharply and the bomb went off prematurely, injuring Doris Young while David Young was out of the room. Returning to the scene, David Young shot his wife, then himself. All the hostages escaped, though 79 were later hospitalized with burns and injuries.^[1] [2]

76 of the hostages suffered injuries, mostly flash burns and other injuries from the exploding bomb. Several children reported seeing angels in the classroom that day, including many children who claimed to have seen a "beautiful lady" who told them to go near the window. Other children reported seeing an angel over each child's head.^[8] Investigators discovered that only one of the bomb's five blasting caps went off, and if it had worked properly, the bomb would have blown off the side of the building and many more would have been injured or died.^[8]

Mayhem Marathon

Last month we hosted the Mayhem Marathon. This Marathon was not your typical marathon. It was independent, that's right, you had to complete 13 miles all by yourself over the course of a month! It was $5 to participate and the proceeds were donated to a local charity. We were so happy to see all the people that came out to participate. We ended up being able to donate over $300 to the Evanston Hungry Backpack Program. 

Thank you to all of our Allstate customers that participated in the Mayhem Half and completed the challenge! Way to go to Jayme Flint Whitney Maxfield Snyder Heidi Collins Joyce Patterson, Jenna Aimone, Tonya Vazquez, Lesley Horrocks StoddardDebbie Valerio Tracee Munoz Hailey Eldredge, Dana Eldredge Kristin Thomas Goates Kamri Hutchings, Brandi Hutchings, Mya Hutchings, Ashlee Bradshaw, Julie Smueles Behunin Jessica Parkyn , Alexis Spray Shelia Layson, Linda Irick, Alexis Stoddard, Karie Jacobson Collins, Teresa Frey, Dalton Stoddard, Danny Collins,Shane Stoddard, Bronson Berg Ashton Eldredge, Jason Eldredge, Mike Goates, Daniel Frey, Scott Symes, Brian Miller!! Way to get it done! We are PROUD of YOU!

Congratulations to the top two winners:

 Kari Crane and Dalton Stoddard! They each won $25.00 gift cards!

We love our community and are so thankful to have all of their amazing support! We are already looking forward to next year.  

12 Tips for a Perfect Yard sale!

‘Tis the season for yard sales! With warmer temperatures, longer days and spring cleaning well under way, thousands of Americans will be having a garage sale this spring. Unfortunately, simple mistakes like mispricing merchandise or failing to “stage” your garage or yard sale can hold you back from receiving top dollar for your goods. Whether this is your first solo yard sale or you’re an experienced pro, follow these 12 garage/yard sale tips to ensure an easier, more profitable sale.

1. Determine your goal.
   Are you trying to make money? Or do you just need to get rid of old junk? Many first-time sellers are surprised to learn that they can often sell more items (and make more money) when pricing things lower.
2. Get the word out for free.
   The first step to a successful yard sale is advertising. List your sale on Craigslist, post professional-looking signs on community boards (your local coffee shop and the message board at your kid’s school are good starting places), and email your neighborhood, work and school list serves. You can also use your Facebook page to get the word out to your local social network. Advertisements in local papers can be expensive, and in today’s digital age, they generate little to no return on investment.
3. Direct people to your sale.
   Post signs along major roads near your home, at the entrance to your neighborhood and along your street. The signs should feature large, simple text that’s easy to read when driving – do your own drive-by with a sign to ensure the important information is legible. Be sure to check local signage ordinances to ensure you are not in violation for posting signs in public spaces.
4. Timing matters: check the forecast and avoid holiday weekends.
   Think Memorial Day weekend is a great time for a yard sale? Think again: turnout is traditionally much higher for non-holiday weekends. When everyone is on their way to the beach, the last thing families have time to do is spend their morning shopping. And check the forecast – it goes without saying that turnout will be poor on a rainy day.
5. Decide what to sell far in advance.
   Parting with your belongings can be one of the toughest parts of holding a successful yard sale. Even if you don’t want that dusty old stack of vinyl records, watching your collection disappear for $1 a record can turn stoics into sentimentalists. This year, do your spring cleaning early and place everything you plan to sell in boxes in the garage. Wait a few weeks before holding your sale. Did you need or miss anything in the boxes? Did you find yourself taking items out – or even remember what you put in? Mentally preparing to sell your belongings ensures that you’ll get top dollar for your treasures.
6. Check for recalls.
   In 2009, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued new guidelines that hold sellers accountable for selling a defective or recalled product. While the agency doesn’t have the manpower to police yard sales, the rules are an important safety reminder. If you aren’t sure about a product’s safety (such as an old car seat, crib or plastic toy) take a few minutes to research the product online. It’s always better to be safe than sorry – and this way if your customer asks if the product is safe, you can answer with a definitive “Yes!”
7. Organize and display your wares.
   The night before your sale, take a little time to organize all your items into similar groups and apply price stickers. This will make the morning set up go much faster. In the morning, arrange books on a bookshelf and hang clothes on a wardrobe hanger. Just like at a store, your customers should be able to easily browse items, rather than digging through bags or bins. After all, if a customer can’t see an item, how can you sell it?
8. Set a fair price.
   A good rule of thumb is to price used items in good condition at a third of their original retail price. If you have a popular children’s toy or kitchen item, cut out an online listing of what the item sells for new, and then place this next to your discounted price. This helps potential buyers better see the value in your gently used items. Remember, it’s easy to negotiate down, but never up. If you want to sell an item for $5, price it for $7, and if it hasn’t sold by midday, drop the price.
9. Sell old or damaged items for a flat rate.
   If you have stacks of old clothes or cheap plastic toys, it can be a pain to price every item, especially if the prices are low, like 25 cents each. Instead, offer customers the option of fitting all the clothes or toys they want into a paper bag for one flat rate. You’ll sell more items because customers can’t resist the “bargain” of getting an entire bag of clothes for only $5!
10. Make it easy for shoppers to test your items.
    If your old Game Boy needs batteries to turn on, make sure it has them! If a microwave needs a plug, run an outdoor extension cord from your house to the electronics table. Buyers who can test an item before purchasing are more likely to pay top dollar.
11. Sell more by attracting a crowd.
    The longer people browse your sale, the more likely they are to make a purchase. Keep customers around by offering free ice water in plastic cups and inexpensive baked goods, like cookies. A sugar fix and a cool drink will put everyone in a good shopping mood! Plus, nothing attracts a crowd… like a crowd. Customers driving by a sale are far more likely to stop if they see a large group of people; this signals that there are bargains to be had!
12. Keep your money in a fanny pack.
    Yes, it’s not the most attractive fashion accessory, but a fanny pack or hip purse ensures that your money (including any spare change) stays with you at all times. Yard sales attract both honest bargain hunters and shady characters; never leave money in a cash box and never leave your possessions unattended.

For More great tips visit the official Allstate Blog at http://blog.allstate.com/

Every day holds the possibility of a Miracle....

Sometimes we get to take a break from the busy day of Insurance to be a part of a special miracle. 

We were able to welcome a new "team member" into our Allstate Family. Just over 4 months ago we were so excited to find out that our employee, Kristy Alvarado, was going to be welcoming a little baby boy into her family through the miracle of Adoption. We were so happy to be able to support her through this amazing journey. 

Lorenzo Angel Alvarado was born on 03/04/2015

Welcome, Lorenzo, to the Allstate Family!