One of our life insurance agents, Barb Sachs, recently had the opportunity of a lifetime. She and her husband Steve (a former AccuQuote employee as well) went on an African Safari. The Safari was sponsored by one of our life insurance carriers, Genworth Financial.

Barb is a long-time AccuQuote employee. She has been with the company for 11 years and has always been one of our top life insurance agents. I asked her if she could share her experience with us so we could blog about it and she was more than happy to do so. So, without further ado, here's Barb's story in her own words....

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) sent out a press release that offered some tips for surviving a layoff, should one occur. Some of them were worth mentioning so here you go:

• Take advantage of any assistance your workplace offers. Many companies provide placement assistance, job retraining and severance packages. Make sure you are aware of all benefits offered.
  
  
• Apply for any applicable government benefits. Your HR representative at work will be a good resource.

• Don't be tempted to live off of your credit cards. Someone with a good line of credit could actually support the family at the current standard of living by using credit, but there's no guarantee a new position will materialize any time soon. One rule of thumb job counselors use is to expect one month of job search for each $10,000 of annual income you hope to replace. In other words, if you seek a $50,000 salary, it may take you five months to land that job.

• Take a personal inventory. Consider all assets, income and expenses. Hopefully, you will not have to liquidate any assets to survive, but it is good to know what you have to fall back on.

• Drastic times call for drastic measures. Nothing is off-limits. If necessary, consider selling the second car, or any recreational vehicles, real estate holdings, rental properties or jewelry.

• After reviewing income versus debt obligations, if there is not enough money to make ends meet, calculate how much is needed to meet the basic household living expenses. Your goal is to pay everyone, but if you must make a choice, keep your home-life stable by paying your rent or mortgage, utilities, childcare, insurance premiums, health care, food and keeping gas in the car.

• Tracking your spending is always a good idea, but when money is tight, it's essential. Write down every cent you spend. At the end of 30 days, review where the money went and make conscious decisions on where to cut back. You'll be amazed by how much you can save and not even feel the pinch.

• Contact your creditors to arrange lower payments. Most major credit card issuers have in-house help programs. Explain your situation and what you're doing to resolve it. The creditor may be able to temporarily lower your monthly payment and reduce interest.

• Call your mortgage lender or servicer and inform them of your situation. Be prepared to provide them with documentation of the setback, and have a resolution plan in mind. Since the average consumer doesn't know all of the loan modifications available, it is smart to first sit down with a certified housing counselor and map out a plan. This way, you'll know that you've selected the option that is best suited to your situation.

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I hope this Memorial Day, you will take some time to remember those have served our country. I hope this Memorial Day you will take just a moment to recall that many Americans sacrificed and paid the ultimate price for freedom and freedom's calling.

I am a former Marine; serving in the United States Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, California. I worked for the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate. I didn't go to war. I didin't serve in a dangerous situation. But I did learn to respect and appreciate those had been Marines before me or after. In the Marine Corps, there is a term for just that ... many of you might know it, "Semper Fidelis".

So, I'd like to take a moment right now ... "Thank you to all the men and women who have served this greatest of countries. Freedom has been preserved through your sacrifice. You are never forgotten".

This is from September 2007, but the message is just as important today as it was 7 months ago. Molly Shannon, SNL comedian and movie super star talks about her family's brush with death and the need for life insurance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lljivVqC-5M

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One Client, One Family at a time:

Usually your first introduction to AccuQuote is a phone call from one of their Account Executives. Or perhaps you called the toll free number in response to an ad and spoke to a member of the Courtesy Team. You'll only speak to them for a brief time, yet you will share personal, sometimes painful, information about your health, lifestyle, and family history. It's hard for some people to relate to (or trust) a person they will probably never meet. You might think buying something as important as life insurance over the phone is rather impersonal. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Many of the people you'll talk to in AccuQuote's sales group have families of their own. Peek into their cubes and you'll see pictures of their spouses, children, and favorite dogs and cats. No matter how cluttered the desks are, their pictures stand out. Some are framed; most are tacked to bulletin boards or taped to shelves. There's a special pride each person feels about their family. They'll sometimes share their own personal experiences to help you understand why they're so passionate about life insurance. AccuQuote's clients sense the sincerity and commitment. Often bonds are formed and friendships made - one client, one family at a time.

Changing Families:

The people at AccuQuote are experts at adapting to change. Life insurance is more than just a job - it's an extension of its employees. Nowhere has change been more apparent in the past 22 years than in the American family.

Today the idea of family is a lot more complicated than it was up until a few years ago. The traditional family isn't so "traditional" anymore. There are single parents, stepfathers or stepmothers, half brothers and sisters - even families without kids. There are extended families, adopted families, and blended families; even childless families where couples work and haven't the time or money to raise children. What you call your family isn't important - as long as you love and support each other before anything else.

A Family Portrait from 4,000 miles away:

Last month one of AccuQuote's newest clients sent a picture of his family. Don lives in Hawaii with his wife Lisa and two daughters, Kaylee (left) and Dominique (right). Don and Lisa are celebrating their 10 year anniversary on May 9, 2008. Best wishes and the best of happiness for years to come.

Happy 10^th Anniversary, Don & Lisa

From AccuQuote's family to yours!

"Within my soul there are great beacons. They are like grand lighthouses, rich and inviting. They warm me and light my way. They renew me and reconnect me to life and to myself. They are my family."

What does "Family" mean to you? You're invited to send your comments. All ages are welcome.

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Like so many of life's good things, finding and getting quality life insurance means a person has to be involved. Or at least let's say, it doesn't hurt. Life insurance is a product not much different than many other products we buy. As such, you want to get the best product for your money. Certainly if you are serious about paying for life insurance for the next 10, 20, or 30 years.

If you went into an electronics store to buy a new HD TV, would you accept the one the store owner wanted to give you? Or would you want the TV you felt best suited your needs? That's not to say that the store owner can't be credited with giving you good advice or selling you a quality TV. It's just that you wanted something just a little bit better.

As a case manager, I've seen that happen with insurance. Recently, an involved, persistent, energetic, and patient client decided that he was "worth" the insurance he had applied for. He had applied for insurance and been approved at a rate class just below his application. The reason for the approval rating was valid and legitimately decided.

Now many clients would have accepted the approval rating as is. And there's nothing wrong in that logic. Part of the life insurance approval process and guidelines mean that not every application will reach an approval decision as applied for. That's why there is an application process and an underwriting process: to reach a decision on the level of insurance and risk factor.

Back to my energetic, involved, and patient client. He decided that he could do better. His decision factor had been close anyhow. Remember, I told you he had only missed his application approval by one or two risk rates. In discussion with the insurance carrier, AccuQuote sales person, and myself , the applicant pursued a better approval rating.

His application was post-poned and waited for newer information to be provided for the underwriter to review.

I had the easy part, just keeping the lines of communication open between the applicant and the insurance carrier. I was only too happy to call him and tell him the good news a couple of weeks later. I congratulated him on his 'hard work, efforts, and ... especially ... his patience and persistence'.

As a result of this client's commitment and involvement, he was approved at a preferred rate!

You know what else, he was still kind enough to say ... 'thank you'.

So, get involved in your application. When you're approved, ask yourself -- or better ask your agent -- if you might be able to get a better rate with a higher face amount value.

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A power company in north-central Wisconsin lucked out thanks to insurance-sort of. They recently incurred a damage bill of about $34 million and right off the top, the insurance policy will cover $7.3 million of the damage. Getting struck by lightning is usually considered an act of God that is covered in most homeowner's and car insurance policies but some companies-like power plants-due to the nature of their business don't get to enjoy as much coverage in that area.

The issue at hand for Wisconsin Public Service Corp. is whether or not they can legally increase the rates that their customers pay in order to cover the $1 million deductible. This would be in addition to the fact that customers will need to find another place to get their electricity since the plant will not be able to reopen for quite some time.

Wisconsin regulators have decided that Wisconsin Public Service Corp. can get the replacement power costs from their customers when they reopen but the question of the $1 million deductible still dangles pending investigation. Power companies are required to install lightning suppression systems and Wisconsin Public Service Corp. abided by the rules. This system, however, didn't do the job so it's up to investigators to decide whose fault that is before they move on.