Do you have a new driver at home? That can be stressful—we totally get it. Feel free to pull from our accumulated knowledge, and see what you can learn. For instance, have you ever asked: It’s expensive to have my son/daughter on my policy; are there any discounts I can take advantage of to lighten the load?
From a customer standpoint, it may seem like the shortest path to saving money is to switch insurance companies. Which raises the question: Is there any value in being a long-time customer of an insurance company? Or what is the return on investment in loyalty—if that even exists anymore? The answer is not always clear. As an agent—the professional who connects you with a company—the answer is definitely a “yes.”
Hook, line, and sinker—phishing scams are always in season. And anywhere you’d hunt for jobs can be under attack. With disasters rendering thousands jobless, the basic need for employment could turn to desperation. That low ebb of emotion provides ideal phishing conditions. Wherever the compass points, phishers are trolling—don’t get hooked!
According to usual patterns, insurance agents typically speak with clients only two or three times in a year. Of course when there’s a problem or an urgent need, these calls are focused solely on resolution. Unfortunately, they provide little opportunity to review coverage suggestions that could both enhance your insurance and increase your agent’s value. When interactions with your agent are less problem-based, more time can be spent using these conversations to keep you informed.
It seems odd, the things we measure these days. Or at least the things we have to measure to ensure we’re doing what we should. And if you’re anything like me—far too many conversations these days revolve around “getting your steps in.” So what are we really measuring? Why is it so important? And how does an activity tracker relate to insurance?
Yards are teeming with spring blossoms, and torrential rain showers are just a normal part of the year’s cycle. But our modern, non-porous living spaces—think cemented or paved driveways, walkways and patios—can’t handle the downpours. When these and other factors collide, we can see flash floods, sewer drain backup, or sump pump overflow.
Are the insurance agents of days past still around? In today’s tech-centric world, it’s arguable that we don’t need them. But we’d argue that a good old-fashioned agent still has a place in today’s advancing industry.
Wild, unpredictable weather patterns call for preparation and forethought. Especially now, as abundant spring showers spur on summer growth, damage from hail—rain’s favorite cousin—crops up as a real threat. In fact, flooding and hail are the top two of five common dangers that regularly damage homes nationwide.
You’re a savvy homeowner—you likely realize the serious flood threat that spring rains can pose. And you may even be aware of hail’s sneaky tricks. Since those two are the top annual sources of damage to homes across the U.S., we’d say you’re up on things. Clearly, there’s a lot at stake. So let’s shift from possible dangers to ways you can prevent damage to your home should flooding or hail storms strike. As always, protection and prevention go hand in hand.
Insurance questions are always “and” issues when you turn off the marketing noise and commit to a little work with the right agent. In the 21st century of insurance, you absolutely can have it all. Every insurance product you select can and should have built-in options for those times you’ll inevitably want or need them.
Entrepreneurship has long been the golden egg for hard-pressed nine to fivers. But now it’s seriously trending. Still, dangers lurk in uncharted terrain. How can you prepare and stay protected on the road to being your own boss?
You may simply view life insurance as your final act—putting the necessary assets in place to offer your family needed protection. But it takes imagination to see people showing appreciation for such foresight after you’re gone. Spoiler alert: that does happen. The downside is you’re not there to enjoy it. So is there a way to enjoy the life insurance process now, while you’re still kicking? Yes! And if done right, you can build in your family a special brand of confidence.
Every year, millions worldwide are ravaged by identity theft, fraud, and burglaries facilitated by social media. How are criminals abusing social media? And how can we protect ourselves?
Every time we place a customer with one of the insurance companies we represent, we’re doing our due diligence. We recently paired a client with an insurance company that has steady rates and a policy loaded with coverage options—all ideal for this customer. The only catch: the insurance company hadn’t spent a dime on public advertising.
Usage-Based Insurance takes personalization to new heights. If you’re a grade A driver, congrats! But if you’re still working at it, telematics are your ticket to self-growth and (hopefully) a little extra spending cash.
When trying to solve the question of motivation, a detective may often resort to this time-tested advice: “Follow the money.” The implication? Well, if you know where the money came from, you can begin to understand why people do what they do. When trying to find the right insurance agent, we’d suggest you go the same route: investigate the motivation behind a product or coverage recommendation. Basically, follow the money.
Every second of every day, we’re up- and downloading, streaming and liking. At times, that’s whether we know it or not. And this is especially true in the up-and-coming smart (read: automated) home arena. Although emerging consumer technologies are a wonder to behold, and even more fun to use, there are always associated risks. But we’re not out to gyp anyone’s fun bank. In fact, we’re ready to show that the wide and wonderful Internet of Things (IoT) can be useful, efficient, and a downright blast.
CERF+ received a grant from Westfield Insurance Foundation thanks to the help of ZINC. “ZINC and its employees are proud members of the Broadview Heights community sponsoring local programs and events and supporting artist communities locally, out into the greater Cleveland area, and nationally through our artist insurance program, CERF+, and as a dedicated collector. Our collaboration with Westfield allows us to further our citizenship efforts and have impact in critically important initiatives,” — Seth Zaremba, ZINC owner.
We have to admit: even though we inherently sense the risk, distracted driving can all too easily become common practice. Since we’re always looking to make our community a better, safer place, April—being Distracted Driving Awareness Month—is the perfect time to raise awareness and implement new habits.
If you know Dennis, you also know Zinc: honest folk, working hard to help demystify the insurance scene. We’re happy to know you, and now that we’re acquainted, we have exciting news to share: we’re moving on up.
If you follow our Facebook and Twitter feeds then you’ve got a leg up—you know all about the growing phishing epidemic. Well-worded emails from supposed IRS workers or company execs have mislead many a dutiful employee. We’ve warned about this scamming method in the past, and the widespread threat continues to morph.
After four years of caring for both the Zinc and Dennis families we realized a straighter path to better service and smarter use of resources. Not an easy decision—The Dennis Agency is BVH's oldest active business. But since Zinc is positioned best to adapt to a changing insurance market and to more carefully serve and protect your interests, we felt obliged to consolidate under this brand. All the same people, just trying to work smarter.
Take caution: just as sure as you want to aid in properly handling your company’s tax filing, cybercriminals hope to exploit that eagerness. And they do, every year, prompting the IRS to disseminate advisories and PSAs. One specific fraudster tactic that continues to claim its proverbial pound has seen astronomical increase. Phishing attacks on U.S. taxpayers have skyrocketed some 400% in recent years, and there’s good reason why.
We’re in the home stretch, and 2016 sure was one for the record books, cybersecurity- and other-wise. We’ll spare you a play-by-play, but suffice it to say in the world of all things cyber, we’ve hit a whole ‘nother level. And the upward trend continues, with abundant predictions of threats and concerns looming over the upcoming year.
As an artist, your work is part of you: an extension of your psyche, your worldview, your story. It doesn’t get more individualized than that. And yet, you need to balance total subjectivity with a necessary objective: making a living. It’s a classic struggle, pitting your right brain against its hemispherical sibling. Fear and worry could make an appearance, but we’re looking to calm those tendencies. Peace of brain, here we come.
