Recognizing National Impaired Driving Month

December is a time for holiday parties and family gatherings. With these events comes the enjoyment of food and refreshments, many of which can impair drivers. While most party goers celebrate responsibly, there are some who choose to take a risk and drive under the influence.

Impaired driving statistics

Impaired driving is a national epidemic. And while December is a time when we recognize National Drunk & Drugged Driving Prevention Month and National Impaired Driving Month the problem is not confined to one month of the year. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2014 nearly 10,000 people were killed in accidents involving impaired drivers.  This accounted for 31 percent of traffic deaths in the US that year. Additionally, over 1.1 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence.

What can you do?

Whether you are the driver, a party host or just a family or friend of the person with the keys, everyone has a responsibility to stop impaired driving.  Here are some things to consider.

The Driver

• Don’t drink – If you do choose to enjoy a few cocktails, monitor how much you are consuming.
• Don’t do drugs – If it is an illegal substance you should not be consuming it, period. If you are in a state where marijuana is legal, do not operate a vehicle if you have smoked.
• Eat something – Enjoy some holiday treats along with your favorite beverage.
• Go non-alcoholic – Switch to a soft drink or water after you have enjoyed an alcoholic beverage.
• Phone a friend – If you have consumed too much ask a friend to take your keys.
• Stay the night – If you are unable to find someone to drive you home safely, stay the night or find accommodations within walking distance.
• Party host
• Have options – Serve plenty of non-alcoholic drinks as well as a variety of food choices.
• Monitor your guests – If someone has consumed too much, take their keys and invite them to stay the night.
• Make arrangements – Let guests know about alternate transportation so that they can plan ahead of time.
• Family and Friends
• Make a plan – Know everyone’s expectations for transportation before the party begins.
• Say no – If someone is too impaired to drive, do not get in the car.

Allstate Insurance Agent, MelissaZiegler-Penzato wishes you and your family a safe holiday season. 

Why You Should Hire a Local Insurance Representative

As a consumer, you have many choices when it comes to selecting an insurance agent.  We are commonly asked, “Why should I hire local rather than going with a large national firm?”  To some, a local insurance agent might seem like a “middle man” between you and the larger firms.  However, nothing could be further from the truth.  Here are a few reasons you might want to consider going local:

• Service – Customer satisfaction comes from great customer service. Often, large national firms cannot provide the one-on-one attention that you deserve. This is not because they don’t care about the customer, but rather because they are often working with such a high volume of customers, they don’t have the time to devote to them on an individual level.  Local insurance agents work to build relationships with our clients. We get to know who they are, and their unique needs. And, because we do business in their community, we know the specific issues they face and can address them one-on-one instead of over the phone.

• Community Knowledge – Doing business in the client’s home community allows a local insurance agent to be a part of that community. We're able to get involved and lend a hand when a need arises. Often, we're able to work shoulder-to-shoulder with many of the clients we serve, including on local chambers of commerce, building commissions and other neighborhood groups.

• Offering better rates – Many times the rates that larger companies offer are not as low as the rates you can get when you go local. Because we can cater our plans to the specific needs of our community, you know that your policy is designed to fit your unique circumstances instead of a one-size-fits-all option.

Allstate Insurance Agent, MelissaZiegler-Penzato is proud to serve customers in Covington, Louisiana and surrounding communities as well as her Mississippi clients.  She is an active board member of the West St Tammany Chamber and has also served as a member and chair of the ambassadors for the West Tammany Chamber.  She is also on the board of Active Partnership of Louisiana. She has also been a member of  local Home Builders Association, and has served on an advisory council for the City of Covington’s Planning and Zoning Commission. Additionally, she is a , a member of the Professional Women of St. Tammany and was voted Member of the Year by West St. Tammany Chamber. This local involvement allows Melissa to provide her valued clients with the customer service they deserve for all their insurance needs.

Children’s Life Insurance: To Buy or Not to Buy?

Search the web and you’ll find that children’s life insurance comes with its share of controversy. USA Today reports that only 1% of the life insurance market relates to minors. Here we break down how and why some parents choose life insurance for their child.

How Could I Purchase Life Insurance For My Child?

•   Permanent Life Insurance: These polices make it possible to uniquely insure your child.  Permanent life insurance policies protect the child for their lifetime, as well as build cash value over time. However, the premiums for permanent life insurance policies are much higher but still affordable for minors.

•   Term Life Insurance: Often considered a more affordable option, term life insurance covers a person for a period between 10 and 30 years depending on the policy. Term life insurance cannot be purchased as a standalone policy for a minor. In order to insure your child through a term policy, you can purchase a rider for an additional cost.  This would extend a portion of the policy amount to your child.

For more information on the finer points of distinction between these policies, visit Allstate’s life insurance page.

Why Would I Insure My Child?

•   Unexpected Loss: While this is a difficult possibility to imagine, the tragedy of a child’s death comes with many expenses: funeral costs, counseling, outstanding medical bills, and compensation for additional time off work. Life insurance can provide additional security to indemnify you in case of the unexpected.

•   Secure Insurability: Once a policy is in place, coverage is locked in for your child.  Diagnosable changes in your child’s physical or mental health will not affect their ability to be insured in the future. Additionally, waiting to purchase coverage means certain life choices could affect premiums. High-risk hobbies or a history of drug or tobacco use lead to increased costs.

•   Alternate Form of Saving: With a permanent life insurance policy, cash value can grow tax-free. Having this insurance as a child means money working for you longer. In case of emergency, your child could borrow against the policy’s value or surrender the policy entirely, though these decisions come with added fees.

Things to Think About

Children’s life insurance may not be the best decision for everyone. It’s important to weigh the unique needs of your family when considering any coverage. Contact Melissa Ziegler-Penzato  (985)875-7707at Allstate Insurance to discuss the best policies available for you and your family!

What You Need To Know About Flood Insurance

If you live in an area that is susceptible to flooding like Louisiana, it’s important to consider flood insurance. Many people don’t know that flood insurance isn’t included in their standard home insurance - one of many misconceptions when it comes to flood plans. Here are some common flood insurance myths, debunked by bankrate.com:

You must live on a floodplain to get flood insurance:

This is not true. If you live on a floodplain, your mortgage company will likely require you to purchase flood insurance. If you don’t live on a floodplain, you can still get flood insurance! And it’s generally less expensive to purchase if you do not live on a floodplain.

You only need flood insurance in a high-risk area:

Wrong! 1 in 4 flood claims come from homes not in a floodplain or high-risk area. That means even if you don’t think it could happen to you - it can! You’ll want to be prepared for anything, so consider adding flood insurance to your portfolio even if you believe the probability of flooding is unlikely.

Flood insurance covers everything:

Not necessarily. When it comes to the physical structure of your house, federal flood insurance policies top out at $250,000 - meaning you’ll be at a loss if, say, you have a $350,000 house. But that’s just for the structure itself. For your personal possessions, flood insurance caps at $100,000 under the federal program. If your home and/or personal belongings are worth well above these figures, you can purchase “excess flood insurance” through a private carrier that will cover costs above the national limits.

Flood insurance is included in my homeowner’s policy:

This is the biggest misconception about flood insurance, which may come from water damage being covered in your standard policy (flood damage is not water damage, they are actually two different things!). Standard homeowner’s policies do not include coverage for flood damage, so if you want to add a flood plan to your policy, you’ll need to purchase it separately.

For most people, your home is your most valuable possession. It’s worth protecting, so you will need to take out a separate policy to protect it from flood damage. If you have more questions about flood insurance, or are interested in adding it to your portfolio, contact Melissa  Penzato at 985-875-7707 for more information.