We are pleased to welcome Jeff Bender to the team and announce an exciting new program called Cover Course!
Cover Course offers Tee-to-Green risk management for local golf courses and golfing communities to help them better manage the risks associated with golfing, courses and facilities, human resources, food & alcohol service, and events.
Jeff joined JPI to assist in the launch of Cover Course and comes uniquely qualified for the job! He’s been a part of the PGA for over 25 years, 20 of those have been spent right here in Central Washington. He is dedicated to the growth of junior golf in the Pacific Northwest. He’s had several players that strive to play collegiate golf and currently two players that will compete for the University of Washington in 2022!!
Jeff has been happily married for 26 years. He and his wife, Wanda have three adult children, all finishing Post Grad and Under Grad work at WSU and Portland State.
Please help us welcome this dynamic new member of the JPI Family!
Wait… WHAT?! Yes, you read that right. WA State Senate Health Bill # 1323 launches a long-term care Trust Fund that will be funded by an increase in your payroll deductions.
WHO will be affected? Employees in the State of Washington who are W-2 status may be taxed .58% of their annual income, with no upper income cap.
WHO will be exempt? This does not apply to retirees, or those without a W-2 wage. In addition, those who have a private LTC policy in place before July 1st, 2021 may file for an exemption.
Act now! If you qualify for a private LTC plan, you may be able to exempt yourself from this new tax on your income.
It’s already been an exciting year here at JPI. We’ve gone from late winter ice storms that wreaked havoc in Salem and surrounding communities, to spring winds that took down trees and power lines in the Tri-Cities.
Now that spring is officially here, one of my favorite things to do is sip coffee on a brisk morning, dive into a book and watch the sun rise. It’s amazing to contemplate all our Creator has made and just how magnificent it is how it all works together; the universes, the planets in motion, the heating of the sun and the cooling of the clouds, the migration of the birds, the coming to life of the flowers and trees, and the protection from above… All of this before I even leave for work! (I also like those unseasonably warm spring days when I can sneak away in the afternoon for a round of golf!)
Spring is a great time to shake things up, too… clean out clutter and start new disciplines. As a company, we never let the grass grow under our feet. We’re always shaking things up. For a few weeks now, all of us here have been working on a series about the positive impact of cultivating good habits. It’s been personally and professionally beneficial to me, and a lot of our agents report the same. Even small changes in your routine can amount to big changes in your life. For example, just the habit of eating a healthy breakfast can boost your happiness and your income!
At JPI, one of the habits we’ve cultivated is reaching out to our clients every year to update their information, review their coverage, and make any necessary changes. Reviewing your coverage annually is recommended by financial experts and the really cool thing is we do all the work, so you don’t have to! That’s the advantage of having an independent agent.
It’s what we call “Loving People Through Insurance.”
With it comes warmer weather and longer days, but also unpredictable weather extremes that can lead to flooding. Did you know just a few inches of water can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage? And while just about anyone can experience spring flooding, many don’t have insurance.
Now is the time to consider your risk and work to reduce it…. Before snow melt and spring rains cause flooding near your home or business. The costs can be devastating and only flood insurance will cover the damage.
Preparation
Every family should have an emergency evacuation plan and practice it. It’s good to always have an emergency kit on hand and emergency supplies, too. And if you have pets, be sure your plan includes them!
Here’s another thing that comes up often when discussing many types of emergencies and insurance… If you don’t already have a thorough home inventory, take the time to conduct one soon! (Click here for tips on creating your household inventory.) You never know when disaster may strike.
Flood Insurance
If you’re not sure where to start, give us a call! We’d be happy to answer your questions and talk you through the process of reviewing your current coverage and accessing your risk. We update our product knowledge annually and can help you look at your options and make decisions that are best for you and your family.
Emergency Kit
Do you have an emergency kit at home and work or business? What about your vehicle? No matter the emergency… weather-related, or a natural or man-made disaster… An emergency kit can assure your confidence and comfort and may save your life!
Your kit should contain water, food, a flashlight, a first aid kit, basic sanitation supplies, and survival items, along with any medications you or a family member needs, and pet necessities if you have a pet (How to make a pet emergency kit here). A quick search will provide an extensive list of ideas perfect for any size group.
Lots of articles tell you what you need in your vehicle emergency or home evacuation kit. We thought it might be helpful to talk about what pet owners should have in their pet’s emergency kit.
Your pets count on you, so it should go without saying if you need to evacuate, your pets should go with you! Every year, pets left behind are lost, injured, or killed. Please don’t let that happen to your pet!
Having a well-stocked emergency kit for your pet or pets will make it fast and easy to evacuate your entire family and can even double as a pet travel bag!
Food: You’ll want a supply of food that will last your pet several days. The food should be in an airtight and water-proof container and rotated out periodically, so it remains fresh.
Water: Pack a water bowl and several days’ supply of water.
Records/Medicines: Evacuation situations may leave your pet more vulnerable to disease… just one more reason vaccinations should always be kept up to date. Knowing your pet is protected and having your pets’ medical records on hand will give you peace of mind. Keep an extra supply of any medications, too.
First Aid: It’s not surprising that a good first aid kit for people will have much of what you’ll need for your pet as well. Add a towel, a small bottle of dishwashing liquid (for bathing), styptic powder, and your vet’s name and number and you should be well covered! A pet emergency clinic number and a book on animal first aid wouldn’t hurt, either.
Leash/Collar/ID: Your pet probably already has a collar with an ID tag, and a leash. Having a spare set is a good idea, though. If your pet is chipped, registration information should also be part of your kit.
Clean Up: Throw in a portable litter box and litter or poop bags, plus some basic cleaning items, like paper towels and disinfectant. You may not know exactly where you’re going and what the accommodations will be like when you get there.
Comfort: A familiar blanket and toy, plus a supply of treats, will go a long way to reduce stress for both you and your pet or pets.
Bonus TIP: We love this tip from the ASPCA! Add a picture of you with your pet or pets. Should they become separated from you, you’ll be glad you did!
Everything should be packed in a waterproof container or backpack that’s easy to grab in a hurry. You should also have a portable pet carrier, one for each pet, if possible.
Did you know one of the most common insurance claims made by homeowners is water damage? Winter months bring freezing temperatures and frozen pipes. And undetected leaks or bursts pipes can cause hundreds or thousands of dollars in damage.
We suggest new homeowners inspect water pipes before winter weather really sets in, particularly in colder parts of the country, and colder parts of the home. Are they in an enclosed and heated area? If so, when temperatures dip below freezing be sure the heat is on and the thermostat is set to maintain the area at forty-five degrees or above. Are the pipes exposed or located in an exterior wall? If so, is it possible to enclose the area or insulate the pipes to prevent them from potentially freezing and bursting? There are lots of winterizing products available for various applications, just always be sure to use these products according to their instructions and safety guidelines.
When insulation or heat tape may not be enough, we’re lucky to have access to technology. Temperature and flow monitors, leak detectors, emergency shut off systems or other technology can help detect and prevent problems before they even happen. Where leaks may go undetected, even an inexpensive leak detector can give you peace of mind.
Here’s a great tip from one of our agents, too. Always hire a house sitter when you’re going to be away. They may catch a problem BEFORE it becomes too big and prevent you from coming home to an unpleasant and costly surprise.
Your home is likely one of your most valuable assets. If you’re worried about what your homeowners’ insurance covers should a leaking or burst pipe cause water damage somewhere in your home, give us a call. We’d love to review your policy, explain what is and isn’t covered, and help you make any necessary changes to protect your investment.
Love can be corny at times, but when you believe as I do you that each of us have a mission or purpose in life, love is anything but corny. As we’ve worked to define our mission here at JPI, we’ve come to sum it up in one brief statement, “Loving People Through Insurance!” How we go about that takes a bit deeper dive, so here goes…
I’m familiar with four types of love:
eros – attraction
Philia – friendship
Storge – love of parent for child
Agape – the unconditional love of mankind
Eros – While we can’t make insurance very attractive, we try to offer insurance carriers that deliver better than industry standards of satisfaction. The companies we work with have made themselves attractive through superior claim handling and community involvement.
Philia – We strive to build relationships with our clients. We want to be more than just a “bottom line price” commodity-selling company. We reach out to our clients as often as we can to keep them apprised of upcoming events or situations, as well as insurance and community related events.
Storge – As parent to child (and sometimes in reverse), we give clients our professional advice. We want to offer the coverage and endorsements we feel will best cover their net worth. We like to think we offer more peace of mind than buying insurance online from some company in NYC! Our recommendations might not always line up with a client’s current budget or goals, but that advice can reveal to clients the risk they take each day and how to mitigate it.
Agape – Since this form of love is often attributed to God and therefore given at an unattainable level, it’s hard to weave this into a blog about auto, home, life and business insurance. That said, our contracts with clients are what are called “contracts of adhesion.” That means the insurance company offers the contractual coverage for the life of the contract unconditionally, while the customer… YOU… are able pull away from the contract to work with another agent or carrier at any time. I had it explained to me years ago that the company is “glued” to the contract, while the insured is “velcro’d.” It made sense to me!
Now that you better understand our mission and how we fulfill it, feel free to reach out to us and share a story about how your company… or any company… makes customers feel loved. We’d love to share it with our 10,000 plus members in an upcoming newsletter or on our website and social media platforms.
It has been said that a love letter is the most timeless way to express love. In “The Notebook,” we saw the romantic act of Ryan Gosling sending Rachel McAdams hundreds of love letters despite the distance and social differences that separated them. There is something about the act of transferring thoughts to paper that is profoundly romantic.
In our busy lives, electronic communication provides a convenient yet impersonal mode of communication, and the handwritten note is a rarity. But what constitutes a love letter and what makes it “official”? A love letter reveals an expression of love and affection. It serves as a way for one person to communicate to another, using words or phrases that reflect thoughts and actions. It can rhyme, contain quotes, or be entirely free form. After all, it’s the thought that counts. A letter can be delivered by the Pony Express, postal service, e-mail, carrier pigeon, Facebook post, or by tweet but the method of transportation makes the message no less meaningful.
This Valentine’s Day give your other half a love letter that will last for an eternity, a letter laced with the love of life insurance. The policy that you choose, with the best intentions for your partner in mind, is an everlasting gift of love and a commitment to the person that means the world to you. Reveal your thoughtfulness in a way that you know is romantic AND logical. Life insurance allows you to secure the future of your partner in the case of an emergency or unexpected death.
Now that the holidays are over and the bills are starting to come in, it’s time to think about getting back on track financially! Dave Ramsey and Financial Peace University (FPU) have a proven plan to help people take control of their money. The program has moved millions into debt free living!
As the only Dave Ramsey ELP (Endorsed Local Provider) in the area, we at JPI Insurance Solution are honored to coordinate a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University course. Starting February 9th and running for 9 weeks, we’ll have in person classes at Bethel Church in Richland. Joe Peterson and associates will be presenting.
The course introduces attendees to the 7 Baby Steps. You’ll establish an Emergency Fund and attack credit card debt with “gazelle intensity,” using the Debt Snowball. Once you learn to tell your money where to go, you’ll never have to wonder where it went again! Financial Peace University will help you eliminate debt through biblical principles and “Live like no one else, so you can live and give like no one else!”
This could be the best gift you give yourself in 2021!
Click on the link to learn more and register for the class. fpu.com/1131635
Ever wonder what we mean when we talk about loving people through insurance? First and foremost, it means as your local independent insurance agent, JPI works for you!
We can’t think of a better way to show you how much we care about each and every one of you than helping make sure you understand what coverage you have, how it works, and whether or not it’s adequate for your current situation.
Our hand-picked team of people care about their clients. When we asked them what our company motto meant, here’s what THEY had to say.
“Taking pride in working with clients side by side protecting their assets, educating to make proper choices, and rising above the expectation in every transaction.” ~ Becca
“Loving people through insurance is to communicate with our clients effectively – asking the questions that lead to gaps in coverage and advising them on the benefits of having adequate insurance.” ~ Julie
“It means writing insurance with integrity, coverage that takes care of the client not your pocketbook.” ~ Tyler
We’ve expanded our team and renewed our commitment to reach out to each of you annually. We’ll ask the questions necessary to be sure your coverage is keeping up with you. Then we’ll do the legwork for you, present your options, and take care of making any changes!
Thank you for trusting us with your business! It’s our job to help you understand your insurance coverage; what it covers and what it doesn’t. And to present you with the best options for your unique situation. That’s what we mean when we say our mission is
