Long Commutes may Mean Poor Health, Study Says

Your Long Commute May Mean Poor Health, Study Says

Your Long Commute May Mean Poor Health, a new study reveals.

A study found that people who commuted more than 15 miles to work each day are more likely to be obese and carry more fat around their abdomen area—where it’s especially bad for the heart. Also, the study suggests that commuters are less likely to get adequate amounts of exercise each day as compared to those who drive less than 5 miles to work on a daily basis. As if that wasn't bad enough, these long-haul commuters also tend to have higher blood pressure.

Preventive Cardiologist Suzanna Steinbaum, DO, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City says, “You are on your way to heart disease. You have an elevated blood pressure, an elevated BMI, an elevated waist circumference; you’re on your way to diabetes and high cholesterol.”

What would Steinbaum say to Atlanta commuters traveling over 15 miles to work each day? Well, she calls a long commute "a perfect storm" when it comes to acquiring future health issues. 

The study consisted of more than 4,200 adults who commuted to work in two Texas cities. Each adult took a treadmill test that measured the length of time they could vigorously exercise.  Researches also checked various indicators for heart disease and diabetes including blood sugar levels, cholesterol, total fat, belly fat, BMI, etc. Participants were also asked how often and intensely they exercised each week.

Researchers used satellite tracking to determine the shortest road routes between participants’ homes and offices.

“The study is first to show that commutes can take a way from exercise and are associated with higher weight, lower fitness levels and higher blood pressure. And all of these are strong predictors of [heart] disease, diabetes, and some cancers,” says researcher Christine M. Hoehner, PhD, MSPH, an assistant professor of public health sciences at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, as first reported in the AJC.

The study can’t prove that long commutes cause these problems directly. In fact, the correlation could be due to the fact that people with long commutes are more likely to engage in other behaviors that put them at risk for weight gain and low levels of physical activity.

In the end, Steinbaum acknowledges that a commute is something many of us cannot avoid. “What I say to people is: ‘You cannot control certain things. You have a job. We all have to commute. This is life. Let’s not get down on life. But what you do on the outside time, what you do for yourself, is so critical,” Steinbaum tells WebMD.

Source: Goodman, MA, Brenda, and Laura J. Martin, MD. "Longer Commutes Can Put Us on Road to Poor Health."  | Ajc.com. Atlanta Journal Constitute, 8 May 2012. Web. 08 May 2012. <http://www.ajc.com/health/longer-commutes-can-put-1433453.html>.

 FOR MORE QUESTIONS, CALL US AT (925) 365-3200 OR EMAIL US AT  info@risdirect.com

Local Independent Agent Selected To Offer The Hartford’s AARP Auto Insurance Program

NEWS RELEASE

Media Contact:

Orlando Frasca

4145 Blackhawk Plaza Circle Ste. 201

Danville CA 94506

925-365-3200

Ofrasca@risdirect.com

                                                                        #####

Local Independent Agent Selected To Offer The Hartford’s AARP Auto Insurance Program

After meeting several social responsibility and business requirements, Rogers Insurance Services, Inc is now authorized to offer the popular insurance program in Danville.

Danville, California, April 27, 2012 – The Hartford announced today that it is making its award-winning AARP®- branded auto insurance program available through Rogers Insurance Services, Inc. 

Rogers Insurance Services, Inc.  was chosen after satisfying a number of eligibility requirements, which included: demonstrating a commitment to community service; meeting a high-level of business and ethical standards; and completing a training program designed to address the needs of the 50+ population.

“For more than 25 years, the industry-leading AARP-branded auto insurance program from The Hartford has been extremely popular,” said Jim Flynn, vice president, The Hartford.  “Much of the success of this program is due to innovative product features and a commitment to truly understand and support our customers.  We are thrilled to now be able to offer these benefits through our independent agent partners.”

According to research from The Hartford, the majority of AARP members prefer the advice and counsel of a local agent when making decisions about their insurance.  Based on this research and strong customer demand, The Hartford is offering the AARP-branded auto insurance program through select, authorized independent agents.  These products were previously only available from The Hartford by phone, the internet and by mail.

The AARP-branded auto insurance program is designed in consultation with The Hartford Advance 50 Team, which helps to tailor products and services specifically to the interests and needs of Boomers and older adults.  Other unique hallmarks of the program include:

• Lifetime Continuation Agreement – assures that the customer’s insurance policy will not be dropped as long as a few simple requirements are met.
• Recover Care – helps customers pay for assistance with daily errands and responsibilities, like cooking, cleaning, shopping, dog walking, transportation and yard work if they are injured in an auto accident.
• Standard 12-month rate protection versus the traditional six months policies offered by most companies.

Protecting Your Data

Good Afternoon, I saw this article in the Wall Street Journal on April
26th and thought it would help keep your items safe when you travel. After
all, isn't that what insurance is supposed to be...safety and protection ?




Protecting Your Data 
How to safeguard data and personal information on iPads, tablets and e-readers: 


FOR A NEW DEVICE

• Apple can engrave information on the back. Securely taping a business card to the device works, too. 
• Buy a brightly colored case that is easy to spot in a messy airplane cabin. A unique case will also help airline personnel locate the device in a storage room.
• Enable cloud storage for sensitive data, such as Apple's iCloud, Google Drive or Dropbox.
• Go to the setting on your iPad and enable Find My iPad.
• Set up your screen saver to display a phone number that someone can see even if the device is locked. 
• Keep serial numbers of all devices in a safe place. That will help the manufacturer's customer-service representatives offer guidance.

BEFORE A FLIGHT

• When purchasing a plane ticket, provide a phone number that the airline can use to contact you. 
• Write down flight numbers and seat assignments for each leg of your trip to help airline personnel narrow their search.

AFTER YOU REALIZE IT'S LOST

• Contact the airline immediately and file a claim. Check the carrier's policy on how long an item is kept before being donated or sold to a third-party company.
• On iPads, enable Find my iPad. The location of the device will be displayed on a map. It can play a sound overriding volume or silent settings- to help with the search.
• On the Samsung Galaxy Tab, enable the Find My Mobile feature to trace the location of the device.

LAST RESORT 

• On the Kindle Fire, Nook, Sony and other e-readers, go online or call customer service to        de-register the device. That keeps anyone who finds it from making purchases using credit-card information associated with the device. Also cancel any automatic subscriptions until device is found. 
• On iPads, go to the iTunes store to cancel any automatic subscriptions and remove credit-card information associated with the device.
• Apple and Samsung let you initiate a remote wipe to restore the device to its factory settings. Data can be restored using your most recent backup from the cloud.

The article is attached and keep in mind that in case the actual item is
lost, it is covered by the home insurance policies we sell. If you have
any questions about the amount of insurance on your actual items, call us
at 925-365-3200 and ask for either Jennifer or Marlo. Or, you can go to
our webpage:  www.nobshomeinsurance.com

Star Spangled Banner

I didn't know most of this and it's too good to share ( however, Francis Scott Key wrote about the War of 1812)

Have a FANTASTIC 4th of July celebrating our nation's independence!

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Iwa-lSVqA1M&vq=medium

Take Care

Orlando Frasca
http://www.risdirect.com/

NEW, Traffic Ticket Fines in California!!

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES HAS AN ARTICLE ON:




HUGE California Traffic Tickets Fines Effective 01/06/2011

Please be extremely careful in your driving and car registration & insurance

matters. State of California is broke and they are trying hard to squeeze

all of us hard to collect money.



Effective immediately, if you do not stop at the red light, be ready to pay

$436 in fines or if you pass a school bus with flashing red signals, you will

be charged $616. The state of California is going for blood, so be extra

careful in driving, You cannot afford messing with them. I have been hearing

that Highway Patrols are under pressure to issue a lot more tickets than last

year with at least 30% increase in fines over 2009, so beware of radar guns,

highway and traffic cameras installed everywhere and the tougher enforcement

of parking rules.



Just for your info, the next time you park in the handicapped zone, even for

a minute, you will be looking at almost $ 1000 in parking tickets , so it'd

better be worth it.



California needs money, so pay close attention to the rules of the road!

Traffic Ticket Fines (Effective 01/06/2011)




VC 12814.6 $214 Failure to obey license provisions.




VC 14600(A) $214 Failure to notify DMV of address change within

10 days



Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.



VC 16028(A) $796 Failure to provide evidence of financial

responsibility (insurance)



Note: This fine may be reduced with proof of insurance on or after the

violation date.



VC 21453(A) $436 Failure to stop at a red signal.



VC 22349 $214 Unsafe speed, 1 to 15 miles over the limit.



VC 22350 $328 Unsafe speed, 16 to 25 miles over the limit.
\


VC 22450 $214 Failure to stop at a stop sign.



VC 22454(A) $616 Passing a school bus with flashing red signals.


VC 23123(A) $148 Driving while using a wireless phone not hands

free, first offense .


VC 23123(B) $256 Driving while using a wireless phone not hands

free, each subsequent offense.


VC 23123.5 $148 Driving while using a wireless device to send,

read or write text.


VC 23124 $148 Minor driving while using a wireless phone.


VC 22500 $976 Parking in a bus loading area.

VC 22507(A) $976 Violation of disabled parking provisions, first

offense.



VC 22507(B) $1876 Violation of disabled parking provisions, second

offense.


VC 26708 $178 Unlawful material on vehicle windows.


VC 27150 $178 Adequate muffler required.


VC 27315 $148 Mandatory use of seat belts.

VC 27360 $436 Mandatory use of passenger child restraints.



Note: This fine may be reduced by completing a court authorized child seat

diversion program .
VC 27400 $178 Headsets or Earplugs covering both ears.


VC 27803 $178 Violation of motorcycle safety helmet

requirements.


VC 34506 $616 Commercial Driver - Log book violation.

VC 4000 $256 No evidence of current registration.


Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.



VC 4159 $178 Notify DMV of change of address within 10

days.



Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.


VC 5200 $178 Proper display of license plates.



Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.


VC 9400 $178 Commercial weight fees due.

Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.


Don‘t blame the police. They don’t set the fines or collect them!


Of course, you then get an increase on your insurance rates as well.......


Drive Properly and Safely !

Orlando Frasca
http://www.nobscarinsurance.com/
925-365-3200

You May NOT need life insurance

Term life insurance is a great tool when properly used, but like most financial instruments, one size does not fit all.

It is important to understand when and how to use term life insurance in order to obtain the best results.

Use these tips to determine if term life insurance makes financial sense for your situation.

Term Life Defined

Term life insurance is a policy that covers a specific period of time, typically from one to 30 years. In the event of your death, the face value of the policy would be paid to your estate or designated beneficiary. At the end of the allotted time, the policy provides zero coverage and no residual benefit.

The Good and Bad of Term Life

In most instances, term life insurance is substantially less costly than whole life insurance or other alternatives. However, the longer the duration of coverage, the less significant the savings due to the residual value of whole life.

Who Benefits?

Term life insurance is an exceptionally valuable tool for young adults or those just starting a family.
Because earned income is often moderate during the early years of marriage, college or young adulthood, the lower up-front cost of term life provides the protection you need without the high price.
In the event of the death of a spouse, term life insurance could provide the means to ensure valuable financial assistance required to replace an income.

It could also be used to pay off a mortgage or put children through college.

Term life insurance is also valuable for those seeking an additional layer of coverage to supplement a whole life policy during a transitional stage in life planning.

For example, many older adults purchase an additional term life policy while paying college tuition for adult children or other specific situations.

Call if you want to get your questions answered: 925-365-3200

Take Care,

Orlando Frasca
www.risdirect.com

What Your Homeowers Policy Might Not Cover

Most people who purchase a homeowner insurance policy simply assume it covers almost everything.

But few things are further from the truth.

Learn how to protect your property and financial future by understanding the top three things your homeowner policy might not cover.

Big-Ticket Items. Read the fine print in your homeowner insurance policy. Chances are there will be strict limits on the coverage amount for big-ticket items like jewelry, electronics and collectibles. Ask your insurance agent about riders or addenda to your existing homeowner policy that will provide additional insurance coverage for expensive items.

Flood Damage. Homeowners are often surprised to learn that their policy specifically excludes flood damage. Even worse, many make the mistake of thinking they don’t need flood insurance because they live on “dry land” or areas not prone to flooding. Unfortunately, flood insurance can also provide valuable protection against more than just rising waters. For example, it might provide protection against other water-related losses, including those from a hurricane or even burst pipes during an earthquake. In fact, water-related damages are one of the leading causes of insurance claims. So if you’re a homeowner, don’t forget to ask your agent how to purchase flood insurance for your property.

Business Property. Whether you work from home full time or simply skip the office every so often, don’t assume your business property is covered. Computers and other equipment used at home are not typically covered by your standard homeowner policy. Employees should verify that their business provides full insurance for company-owned property used at home or in transit. Small-business owners should clearly differentiate business property from personal property while maintaining sufficient coverage for both. Ask your agent about business property riders or addenda that provide additional coverage for dual-use items or business property used off-site or at home.

Call us with any questions you may have: 925-365-3200

Take Care,

Orlando Frasca
www.NoBShomeInsurance.com