Life Insurance Awareness Month


We always look forward to September, seems this is a month when many family's come in and take advantage or our Life Insurance check up we have every year to anyone that has questions about a new policy or want an opinion on their existing policy. This month we met with many customers, individuals and family's across the state. The five of us that work together, all having our own personal and on the job experiences that we draw upon that gives us the advantage to prevent gaps or confusion. This month is almost over, however we will remain open to helping anyone with a any questions on this topic throughout the year. This is a link that has a lot of useful information, enjoy!


Time to park your car for the winter?


Ok couldn't resist posting this picture.. It is that time of year the termination dust is flying... Don't forget to call or email a017359@allstate.com us if we need to suspend* coverage on a car, motor home, or motorcycle. Please post a reminder on the steering wheel to contact us again prior to driving it. Suspending your vehicle will save money on your insurance, call or email us when you're ready.
*Comprehensive Coverage pays for damage to your vehicle that is not caused by collision, which may include, among other things, protection for damage caused by fire, hail, theft and vandalism, falling objects, explosion, and earthquake.

New Child Seat Laws Take Affect September 15th


(ANCHORAGE, Alaska) – New state regulations regarding child safety seats take affect Today, September 15, 2009. The Alaska State Troopers want to point this change out to the motoring public.

It is important to verify the safety of the child seat or booster seat your child uses. This is a good opportunity for families with young children to check the restraint systems they currently have in place in their vehicles. Some car seats and booster seats get recalled due to manufacturer defects.

Below is the new regulation:

(1) less than one year of age or a child one year of age or older who weighs less than 20 pounds shall be properly secured in a rear-facing child safety that meets or exceeds [IS LESS THAN FOUR YEARS OF AGE, THE CHILD SHALL BE PROPERLY SECURED IN A CHILD SAFETY DEVICE MEETING THE] standards of the United States Department of Transportation and is used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions; (2) one or more years of age but less than five years of age who weighs 20 pounds or more shall be properly secured in a child restraint device that meets or exceeds the standards of the United States Department of Transportation and is used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions; (3) over four years of age but less than eight years of age who is less than 57 inches in height and weighs 20 or more pounds but less than 65 pounds shall be properly secured in a booster seat that is secured by a seat belt system or by another child passenger restraint system that meets or exceeds the standards of the United States Department of Transportation and is used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions; (4) over four years of age who exceeds the height or weight requirements in (3) of this subsection shall be properly secured in a seat belt; (5) eight years of age [FOR A CHILD SAFETY DEVICE FOR INFANTS. IF THE CHILD IS FOUR] but less than [NOT YET] 16 years of age who does not exceed the height and weight requirements in (3) of this subsection [, THE CHILD] shall be properly secured in a child safety device approved for a child of that [AGE AND] size by the United States Department of Transportation or in a safety belt, whichever is appropriate for the particular child as determined solely by the driver.

For more information regarding child safety features for vehicles, visit the below sites:

https://mymail.allstate.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.dot.state.ak.us/stwdplng/hwysafety/occupant.shtml%23facts

https://mymail.allstate.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.nhtsa.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.9f8c7d6359e0e9bbbf30811060008a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=4427b997caacf504a8bdba101891ef9a_ws_MX%26javax.portlet.prp_4427b997caacf504a8bdba101891ef9a_viewID=detail_view%26itemID=ce45e2542a964110VgnVCM1000002fd17898RCRD%26viewType=standard

https://mymail.allstate.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.carseatsak.org/Links/index.cfm?fuseaction=AlaskaLaw

Free Re-usable Grocery Bags


We have free (to anyone) grocery bags to anyone at our office in North Pole, while supplies last.

FAIRBANKS, ALASKA (Sept. 14, 12:30 p.m. ET) -- If Santa Claus is going to be doing any shopping at the North Pole in 2010, he is going to have to bring his own reusable bags, or bring some extra money to defray the cost of the plastic carryout bags that he will have to buy at retail stores when he shops.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough in Alaska — which includes the city of Fairbanks and the unincorporated community of North Pole — has voted to place a 5-cent tax on disposable plastic carryout bags, beginning Jan. 1, at retailers with $1 million or more of annual sales.
The only other U.S. city that has approved a tax on plastic bags is Washington, D.C., which in June approved a 5-cent tax on all paper and plastic carryout bags at grocery stores, drug stores, and retail food establishments that will go into effect in January.

There is also a 5-cent tax on plastic bags in Toronto. Seattle voters in August rejected a proposed 20-cent tax on plastic and paper carryout bags.

The 5-cent tax in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, will apply to most large grocery stores, discount chains and bookstores in the borough, which has an estimated population of 100,000 and is similar in size to New Jersey.

The bill was introduced and passed Sept. 10. Assembly member and presiding officer Nadine Winters, who proposed the bill, said the goal of the tax is to reduce waste and create “an economic incentive for customers to use reusable shopping bags.”
Retailers will be able to keep 3 percent of the funds they collect. The remainder of the money will be used by the borough for recycling programs.

There are 10 plastic carryout bag bans in the U.S., five of which were enacted this year, including one in Edmonds, Wash., a town of 40,000 located on the Puget Sound northwest of Seattle. The Edmonds ban, approved July 28, will go into effect Aug. 27, 2010.
In addition to Edmonds, two small Alaskan towns, three counties on the Outer Banks in North Carolina and Palo Alto, Calif., also passed plastic bag bans this year.
The ban in Hooper Bay, Alaska, went into effect in August, the ban in the North Carolina counties of Hyde, Dare and Currituck went into effect Sept. 1 and the Palo Alto ban goes into effect Sept. 18

The plastic bag ban in Bethel, Alaska, goes into effect Sept. 1, 2010.

Moose Accidents are on the Rise


Moose are a routine part of life for most Alaskans. These massive, hulking creatures wander through our sports fields, poke around our neighborhoods and nonchalantly cross our roads and highways, forcing some motorists to wait and others to crash.

Every year moose routingly cause traffic crashes and traffic fatalities along Alaska's roads and highways. In 2007 moose accounted for six traffic fatalities and dozens of injury-related traffic crashes throughout the interior of Alaska, resulting in millions of dollars in medical bills and property damage.

Every year hundreds of moose are killed by automobiles in Southcentral Alaska. Road kills account for about 30 percent of all the moose killed by people. Collisions with moose also result in human injury, death, and millions of dollars in property damage.

IT HELPS TO KNOW...
Most moose accidents occur in the dark of early morning and evening. This is when moose are most active and traffic the heaviest. December and January are the worst accident months. Oddly, most moose are killed on dry roads by drivers who are going too fast for conditions--way too fast to brake for a moose, and way too fast for a moose to get out of the way.
It's hard to see a moose on a dark highway. Unlike deer, their eyes usually are not reflective and their hair seems to absorb light from headlights. Nearly half the moose killed by vehicles are calves. Frequently motorists see the cow moose that crosses the road but do not see the following calf until it is too late to avoid hitting it. Additionally, younger moose haven't developed "road sense" and are apt to panic when a car drives by, often running down the highway instead of across it, or slipping and falling in their haste to escape.
You cannot legally kill an injured moose. If you are in a collision, contact the Alaska State Troopers or the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The meat will be salvaged by a charitable organization.

WHAT WE CAN DO...
We can voluntarily reduce our driving speed and be aware of moose along roadways. It helps to warn oncoming drivers with your hazard lights if there is a moose on or near the roadway.
We can urge Alaska Department of Transportation officials to keep road shoulders clear so that moose can be seen at a distance. Regular maintenance can keep new vegetation below snow levels, and away from hungry moose.

We can encourage warning signs where collisions with moose frequently occur. We can encourage better lighting and even mooseproof fences in high accident areas.
We can learn where moose are most abundant and be more cautious in these areas.

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month


If you're not sure whether you need insurance at all, read a few of our realLIFEstories or watch the videos. These are true stories about how life, health, disability and long-term care insurance provided a vital safety net to real families when they needed it most. http://www.lifehappens.org/reallifestories/life-insurance-for-individuals/

Have a child away at school?


Resident Student is available to young drivers away at a school 100+ miles away from the address listed on your policy. None of the vehicles listed on the policy may be at the school for regular use. If your son or daughter fit this description please call today with the address of the school, savings is 10%~

Security system


Over the past few weeks we have had many customers bring in receipts for Pinnacle Security systems. I believe they have a special on them... Please do not forget to contact your insurance agent and provide them with the receipt to get your discount! Be sure to have the system in stalled that monitors the temperature in your home, one of the most common claims in Alaska for home insurance is freeze ups! Also there is a greater savings if the alarm reports to the policy rather than the sounding alarm.

Email the receipt to a017359@allstate.com or fax (907) 488-7033
(we see an average of 80 dollars savings with this discount)

Have a Teen driver or know one?


Please visit this link, there is a Interactive Parent Teen Driving Contract, how to Prepare your teen Driver, videos, and more!

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