Friday, February 25, 2011

January 2011 Newsletter

Christmas Gifts

Every year we have conversations with our clients about the new pieces of jewelry they need to add to the their policy. The conversation usually goes along these lines... CLIENT: Oh by the way I need to add a new piece of jewelry to our policy. US: Ok, when did you get the piece CLIENT: I actually got it as a Christmas gift, I just keep forgetting to call you and add it on. So in order to help everyone remember to give us a call now to add those items on I thought we would throw this little reminder in this month's newsletter and if you are not sure if it is worth adding on just give us a call to talk it over.


Texting Law

Everyone has probably heard that Wisconsin now has a texting law on the books and here are a few details on the law. "No person may drive any motor vehicle while composing or sending an electronic text message or an electronic mail message" The fine in Wisconsin for violating the law can range from $20 to $400, though the actual cost varies on who is processing the ticket. A ticket issued by a State Patrol will cost $187.90 while a ticket from Madison police will cost $101.40. Both result in four points on a Wisconsin driver's license. What's still allowed is very dangerous and demonstrates how limited the law is: *Talking on a cel phone, *Using a cel phone to dial a number, answer a call, scroll through an address book or use other features, *Sending a text message or email while stopped at a traffic light or stopped in congested traffic, *Reading a text message or browsing the internet while driving,&nbs p; *Using a GPS system and amateur radio devices while driving, *Sending a voice activated text message.
Source: State Patrol


Carbon Monoxide Detectors

On March 10, 2010, Governor Doyle signed into law Senate Bill 415, legislation that requires all homes to have carbon monoxide detectors beginning on February 1, 2011. Carbon monoxide is a dangerous, poisonous gas which cannot be detected by human senses. Dubbed the “silent killer,” carbon monoxide claims more than 2,000 lives each year and sends more than 40,000 people to the emergency room in the U.S. alone. At high concentrations, carbon monoxide can be fatal within minutes. Twenty three other states already have laws requiring carbon monoxide alarms in residential properties.

This new law will expand the current carbon monoxide detector requirements to all one- and two-family homes and parallels requirements for smoke alarms for ease of installation. Specifically, this new law will require carbon monoxide alarms to be installed in the basement of the dwelling and on each floor level except the attic or storage area of both newly constructed and existing homes. For new construction, the alarms must be hard-wired in order to be current with national model safety codes. For existing homes, the alarms can be battery operated and can be multipurpose (smoke and carbon monoxide). Dwellings with no attached garages, no fireplaces and no fuel-burning appliances are exempted from this requirement.

Similar to the smoke alarm law, the new carbon monoxide detector law does not have a fine or penalty associated with non-compliance. However, all home inspections will be required to check for carbon monoxide alarms.
Last session, the legislature passed and Governor Doyle signed into law a measure requiring carbon monoxide detectors in all new and existing multifamily units. Beginning April 1, 2010, all existing multifamily units are required to have carbon monoxide detectors. Plug-in alarms are acceptable to comply with this new law in existing multifamily units


$750 Cash Prize


By now all of our Clients should now that we have a referral program and for each referral we give out $10 or $25 gas cards.($10 For personal insurance and $25 for businesses) The second part of the referral program is that at the end of each year we put the names of all the people who sent us referrals into a bag and draw out a name. That lucky winner then gets $750 in cash. We just did the drawing and this years winner is.....drum roll please.... Erma Goodman. I did a quick video for our Youtube channel with Erma and below a picture of Erma accepting the prize.



Free Insurance for a year?

Speaking of referrals, if you have someone in mind you may want to have them give us a call in February. The reason being, we plan on having a very unique contest in February. Since the people who send us referrals already get gas cards and a chance at a big cash prize we wanted to give our new prospects something more than great service and savings on their premiums. Here's the deal: If Marquette or Wisconsin wins the college basketball tournament title, G2 Insurance Services will give up to a free year of insurance coverage to fans who receive a policy quote during February. No purchase is required so even if the person doesn't buy a policy they could still win free insurance for up to a year. You can see the official rules and details or start a quote at www.insuringchampions.com. We are big college sports fans and thought it would be great if not only their team won but they won too!