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Schur Insurance
3020 Reflection Drive, #104
Naperville, IL 60564

Phone 630.369.0759
Email info@schurinsurance.com

Web
schurinsurance.com
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• House Fire - 1 in 300
• Auto accident -1 in 30
• Needing long term care services - 4 in 10

Almost everyone carries insurance for home and auto because accidents can be expensive, and even financially devastating. Yet, most people are unaware of and totally unprepared for the devastating costs associated with long term care!

Thanks to advances in medical technology, we are living almost twice as long as our ancestors. Unfortunately there’s a complication. The longer we’re around, the greater the odds we’ll need long term care services. At least 70% of Americans over the age of 65 will require long term care services at some point in their lives according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Schur Insurance
3020 Reflection Drive, #104
Naperville, IL 60564

Phone 630.369.0759
Email info@schurinsurance.com

Web
schurinsurance.com
schurinsurance.com/blog

What are the costs?

• For nursing home care - the national average cost per year is
• $77, 745 for a private room and
• $68,985 for a semi-private room.
• For a home health aide the average national cost is $19 per hour
• For an assisted living facility the average national cost per month is $2,969

The typical goal of those seeking long term care services is to help maximize independence and functioning at a time when you are unable to be fully independent.

Schur Insurance
3020 Reflection Drive, #104
Naperville, IL 60564

Phone 630.369.0759
Email info@schurinsurance.com

Web
schurinsurance.com
schurinsurance.com/blog

NO! Medicare does NOT pay for custodial care. It pays only for skilled care in very limited circumstances. Private health insurance typically does not pay for custodial care either.

What about Medicaid?

Medicaid will pay for custodial care, but only if the individual is impoverished. Before you can be eligible to receive payment from Medicaid, you must first use and spend down your own assets and savings.

How can you protect yourself against these devastating costs?

For most people, it is unpleasant to plan for the need for extended care. However, no one is immune to this possibility. Even more unpleasant is the thought of sacrificing life savings to pay for that care.

More than any other risk you have probably planned for; your chances of needing long term care are highest. If you do not want to use up your savings, there is only one option - Long Term Care insurance.

Schur Insurance
3020 Reflection Drive, #104
Naperville, IL 60564

Phone 630.369.0759
Email info@schurinsurance.com

Web
schurinsurance.com
schurinsurance.com/blog

To receive benefits for long term care, do you need to be in a nursing home?

No, in fact most people try to avoid nursing homes. Long term care insurance can be used to cover expenses associated with a variety of locations including a person’s home, nursing facility, adult day care, or a variety of assisted living settings including Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living facilities.

Funding Long Term Care Services

What are the advantages to owning a long term care insurance policy?

Long Term Care insurance not only pays for the high expenses of long term care; it also protects retirement savings, property, family assets, and lifestyle.

Equally important, it provides peace of mind knowing you will be taken care of the way you wish without having to impose on family members or friends as full-time caretakers. Instead long term care services allow your family to assist in your care the way you want leaving other responsibilities to caregivers. People who want to protect their family from the consequences of long term care costs understand the need for insurance.

Do you worry about the cost of living in a nursing home or about burdening your family to care for you? Long term care insurance leaves you and your family feeling confident, secure and protected in those unexpected times when you need care the most.

To get the best rate for you, complete a Long Term Questionnaire on my website: www.schurinsurance.com

Prefer to talk to an agent?

Call me- Mary Schur, my specialty is long term care insurance.

(630) 369-0759

maryschur3@allstate.com

www.schurinsurance.com

www.allstate.com/maryschur3/

Schur Insurance
3020 Reflection Drive, #104
Naperville, IL 60564

Phone 630.369.0759
Email info@schurinsurance.com

Web
schurinsurance.com
schurinsurance.com/blog

Findings from the “Woman’s Guide to Long Term Care Insurance Protection,” indicate that women who are older than 65 comprise 980,000 nursing home residents in the U.S. This is compared to only 337,000 men in that age group.

According to the Association’s Executive Director Jesse Slome, women benefit more from owning long term care insurance, as two-thirds of all insurance benefits are paid to women, 41 percent to single women and 25 percent to married women.

In terms of single men, this demographic accounts for just 12 percent of claim benefits, 22 percent for married men.

“Each have very specific planning needs and issues,” Slome explains. “Married women face a likelihood of providing care for their spouse, who typically is older, or facing a very significant annual bill for care.”

Schur Insurance
3020 Reflection Drive, #104
Naperville, IL 60564

Phone 630.369.0759
Email info@schurinsurance.com

Web
schurinsurance.com
schurinsurance.com/blog

If on the other hand you only carry liability on your present insurance policy then that’s the coverage you have for the rental vehicle as well. If you do carry liability only then you definitely should purchase the car rental company insurance. Typically people carry liability only policies when their vehicle is 10 years old or older– when renting a vehicle the car rental companies usually have current model vehicles in their inventory so it’s important to get that full coverage otherwise you may be on the hook for the damages or even the value of the vehicle if you have an accident or the car is stolen.

I also like to point out that loss of use is another important coverage to purchase from the car rental company. Loss of use applies when you have damaged the rental vehicle; it is not available for rental because the vehicle is being repaired. The car rental company loses income in this situation and will charge you for that loss of use.

Let me summarize, when renting a vehicle you have the same insurance coverage as what is on your personal auto policy, if you carry liability only you should purchase collision and comprehensive coverage from the rental company and always purchase loss of use coverage.

As always if you have questions about your policy or a specific situation please call me, Mary Schur at (630)369-0759. I am here to help with your insurance and financial services needs.

Schur Insurance
3020 Reflection Drive, #104
Naperville, IL 60564

Phone 630.369.0759
Email info@schurinsurance.com

Web
schurinsurance.com
schurinsurance.com/blog

The decision to move your aging parents out of the family home is a complex one — both emotionally and practically. It requires a delicate balancing act between your parents’ safety and their emotional stake in staying put. Each of these is important, and helping your parents make the right decision (while remembering that as long as they are of sound mind, it’s ultimately their decision) requires care and planning.

Each family is different, and the decision to move is an intensely personal one. But asking yourself, and your parents, the following questions can help all of you navigate this difficult terrain.

Key questions to ask:

• Have there been any accidents recently — or close calls?
• Are activities of daily living getting harder? If the answer is yes, are you able to get in-home help for your parents with chores like shopping, cooking, or laundry?
• Are your parents becoming socially isolated? Lack of companionship can leave elderly people more vulnerable to heart problems and other health conditions. If your parents no longer see friends or visit with neighbors, moving to a place where they would be around other people could actually be a lifesaver.
• Is the house clean and well cared for, and are basic home-maintenance tasks getting taken care of? If not, are your parents open to getting more in-home help, can you or they afford it, and do you know how to find it?
• What’s the plan for a worst-case scenario? If there’s a fire, earthquake, flood, or other disaster, is someone nearby prepared to assist your parents?
• Is your parent clean and well-groomed? If your father has always been known for his crisply ironed shirts but starts looking disheveled, that may be a clue it’s time for another level of support.
• What’s in the refrigerator? Is the freezer full of TV dinners and the vegetable drawer empty? Has the milk gone sour? A quick look can tell you whether your parents are eating well or whether they’ll do better someplace where trained staff could make sure they’re getting balanced meals.
• How often do your parents get out — especially in the winter? Are they spending days without leaving the house because they can no longer drive or are afraid to take the bus alone? While many elders fear being “locked away” in a retirement home, many such facilities offer regular outings that may actually keep your parents more mobile and active, not less.
• How are your parents doing compared with this time last year? The holidays can be a good time to reflect on the previous year and take note of any significant changes. A marked decline from one year to the next may mean it’s time to start looking — and planning — for a more supportive environment.
• How are you doing? While this decision is not primarily about you, your own exhaustion can be a good gauge of a decline in your parents’ ability to care for themselves. If your parents’ need for care is cutting into your ability to spend time with your own family, interfering with your job, or just plain wearing you out, that may be a sign that it’s time to start looking at other options.
• Are your parents happy? Safety is crucial, of course, but so is your parents’ emotional well-being. If they’re riddled with anxieties or increasingly lonely, then that may tip the scales toward a move that may not be 100 percent necessary at this point for health and safety reasons. On the other hand, if your parents have a full life, close neighborhood and community connections, or simply enjoy being at home, it’s worth exhausting every option before pushing them to move out of the home they love.
• What do your parents want? This may be the most important question of all — and you may be surprised by the answer. While an initial response may be a knee-jerk “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it,” many older people harbor the same fears for their current and future safety and security that their children do, even if pride keeps them from voicing them. Taking the time to sit down with your parents, draw out their concerns, and find out what they fear most about moving out and what they do want to change about their life – rather than launching into your worries for them, or what you think they ought to do — may give you and your parents all the information needed to make the right decision for the whole family.

Remember, the final decision will ultimately come down to what your parents choose for themselves. If they are finding daily living harder now than ever before & requiring more help with daily life activities then a different household living condition could be an option. If they need assistance to live & enjoy life then hopefully they will make the right decision.

Long Term Care insurance eases the difficulty and financial burden of making many of the decisions with obtaining more support for your loved ones. That’s why people say long term care insurance is not for the insured but for their loved ones.

Do your loved ones a favor by inquiring about long term care insurance and planning for your financial future. You can email me at maryschur3@allstate.com or contact me at (630) 369-0759 to discuss your long term care insurance plans. 

It’s easy to get a quote, just click here.

Schur Insurance
3020 Reflection Drive, #104
Naperville, IL 60564

Phone 630.369.0759
Email info@schurinsurance.com

Web
schurinsurance.com
schurinsurance.com/blog

Portable Space Heaters

• Make sure your heater has been tested for safety. Look on the bottom for a label such as ETL, UL or CSA
• Place space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn - including furniture, people, pets and curtains.
• There should always be an adult in the room when a space heater is on. Turn off space heaters before leaving a room or going to sleep.

Fireplaces

• Burn only seasoned hardwood like oak, ash or maple. Do not burn trash, cardboard boxes or Christmas trees because these items burn unevenly, may contain poisons or cause a home fire.
• Have the chimney cleaned periodically to prevent fires. You can also purchase a log that helps to clear the build up in the chimney. As the log burns it eliminates the creosote in the chimney.
• Do not burn pine in the chimney as this will cause build up quicker and soot.

Smoke Alarm and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning Precautions:

• Install at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home and inside or near sleeping areas.
• Install at least one CO alarm near sleeping areas.

Christmas Trees

• Check your tree lights for broken or frayed wires and loose connections.
• Replace non-working light bulbs.
• Avoid decorating Christmas trees with candles.
• Make sure live Christmas trees are fresh. Don’t buy trees with brown needles or dry limbs.
• Consider having the tree sprayed with a Fire Marshall-approved flame retardant chemical.
• Give the tree plenty of water. Never let the base holder dry out.
• Don’t place the tree near a heat source, open flames and room exits.
• Keep light strings and other electrical decorations out of children’s reach.
• Always unplug the Christmas tree lights when you leave or go to bed.
• Don’t burn the Christmas tree or package wrappings in a fire place or wood stove

Going out of town for the holidays

If you are planning on going away for the holidays and someone is watching your home please make sure that you provide to them our information in the event of an emergency:

Mary Schur

Office number: (630) 369-0759

Mary’s cell number (847) 212-9456

Address: 3020 Reflection Drive Naperville, IL. 60564

Email Address: maryschur3@allstate.com

Office contacts: Luz Fuentes, Sidra Hamidi and Gloria Sanchez

We are aware that emergencies happen in the most inopportune moments-water in the basement, house catches on fire, pipe bursts. We would like for you to be at ease knowing that when you are away we will be there. We can also send your house sitter our business card with all of the information listed above just send me an email at maryschur3@allstate.com with your neighbors or house sitters information.

Schur Insurance
3020 Reflection Drive, #104
Naperville, IL 60564

Phone 630.369.0759
Email info@schurinsurance.com

Web
schurinsurance.com
schurinsurance.com/blog

I am going to attempt to answer each of these questions.  I have talked to many of my customers about these very issues and I do try to answer the questions individually but it deserves the written word as well.  Of course if you want to talk about this further please give me a call, this is my area of expertise and I want to be able to pass that information on to my customers.  I consider that to be my job and my pleasure to talk with you about all issues not just selling. 

How can I reduce my auto insurance premiums?

A fundamental rating practice is to charge a rate that properly reflects the likelihood of loss (an accident that gets reported to your insurance company). Another fundamental insurance pricing concept is lower risk drivers pay a lower insurance premium.  With those two concepts understood let me go on to explain some important rating factors that drive your rate up or down. 

One of the major components of our rating plan is your driving record—how long you have been driving, whether or not you have tickets and accidents and whether or not you maintain insurance without a lapse in coverage.

We have a premier plus discount that provides nearly a 20% reduction in premium for the drivers that have no accidents or moving violations in the past five years and they have maintained their insurance in force for 5 years.  If it’s been 3 years since your last ticket/accident and you have held insurance for three years you will get approximately 10% reduction in premium. 

Another important rating criterion is your insurance score which is based on information in your credit report. 

Our company has evaluated millions of customers’ insurance loss data and paired it with credit data to create a score based on components in the credit report.  This score is indexed with a rating factor.  The better your insurance score the lower your rate.  There is a very strong correlation between our loss experience (drivers who report accidents) and credit data.  Using this data helps us to charge a premium that is consistent with your overall risk.  Lower risk drivers pay a lower insurance premium. 

If you have a few “dings” on your credit report or you have had a ticket or

accident there are still ways to dramatically affect your insurance premium.

1. Pay your auto premium with EZPay or automatic deduction from your checking or savings account.  You get a 5% discount for this.
2. If you own a home and insure 2 or more vehicles go on electronic billing, this can give you a 12% discount.
3. Pay your premium on time—we assume you will and give you a good payer discount for doing that.
4. If you own your home and insure it with us you qualify for nearly a 20% discount.
5. Keep your auto insurance in force—do not let your policy lapse.  People that maintain their insurance without lapse pay less.   

There are many discounts that you may be eligible for; each customer is evaluated on their own qualifying criteria.  I like to review policies annually to be sure I have your current information and that you are receiving the best rate. 

The market value of my house has gone down but my homeowners insurance has increased—why?

This of course, is a complicated question but a very good one.  The market value of a home and the dwelling value of a property for insurance purposes are two different values and two different valuation methods are used to arrive at the figures.  The market value of a home represents the price of a willing buyer and willing seller in the marketplace.  Lately this figure has been influenced downward by a number of external factors – too few buyers, much more restrictive lending practices, the economic recession—all producing the perfect storm for low housing market values.  The dwelling value of your home for insurance purposes is a value that represents the cost to rebuild or replace your home using like kind and quality of materials.  In order to arrive at this figure initially we used an estimating tool provided by a third party source.  Each year that vendor providing the estimating tool updates their data by evaluating the cost of labor and material down to a 3 digit zip code level.  120 variables are evaluated, so the costs of certain materials (metals and wood resources may be increasing) as well as the labor costs (medical costs affect the cost of labor) which increase the index used to keep up with the dwelling limit of your property.  With that said, I like to review the figures that make up the estimator- I have found in many cases that the dwelling limit was originally set higher than it needs to be and this can make a significant impact in  your premium. 

It is also important to mention the loss costs (claims) for homeowners insurance have increased sharply the past three years.  In our area the most common types of loss are wind and water. We have had unprecedented weather related losses and the average cost of the losses are increasing as well.  The average cost of wind and water losses is over $5000.  Remember the tornado in Plainfield in January?  Well, a tornado in January is unusual and the resulting wind damage in the surrounding area adds lots of losses with an unusual event. 

I often get asked if the damages with hurricane Katrina and Rita affect our costs here and the answer is no.  Homeowner pricing, (the same is true with auto and other personal insurance) is established on a state by state basis.  We only consider the losses that occurred in our own state when assessing the pricing for insurance.  

An important way to manage your homeowners insurance cost is with your deductible. 

A $1000 deductible can be as much as 20 – 30% less than $250 and even $500 deductible.  When the average claim is once every 8 – 10 years it makes sense to have a higher deductible and save money on your premiums—you’ll come out way ahead.  Plus, if you have a claim free discount that too saves you as much as 15%.  The higher deductible and the claim free discount are nice rewards for managing your premium and keeping it as low as possible. 

We have many other price savings and discounts to talk about.  If you have questions about your own premium I am always happy to review it and discuss ways to manage your risk and your rates.

You can email me at maryschur3@allstate.com  or contact me at (630) 369-0759 to discuss your premium.