Let's Be Holly, Jolly and Oh-So-Pet-Safe!

At Brew City Insurance it is our mission to offer customers a truly exceptional insurance buying experience. We provide our customers with the knowledge to choose the best possible insurance products that fulfill their wants and needs. Our friendly, knowledgeable and professional staff will help inspire, problem-solve, and best of all EDUCATE our customers so they can choose the coverage that best fits at a reasonable price.

Of course you want to include your furry companions in the festivities, but as you celebrate this holiday season, try to keep your pet's eating and exercise habits as close to their normal routine as possible. And be sure to steer them clear of the following unhealthy treats, toxic plants and dangers.

O Christmas Tree ~
Securely anchor your Christmas tree so it doesn't tip and fall, causing possible injury to your pet. This will also prevent the tree water—which may contain fertilizers that can cause stomach upset—from spilling. Stagnant tree water is a breeding ground for bacteria and your pet could end up with nausea or diarrhea should he imbibe.

Tinsel-less Town ~ 
Kitties love this sparkly, light-catching "toy" that's easy to bat around and carry in their mouths. But a nibble can lead to a swallow, which can lead to an obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting, dehydration and possible surgery. It's best to brighten your boughs with something other than tinsel.
By now you know not to feed your pets chocolate and anything sweetened with xylitol, but do you know the lengths to which an enterprising fur kid will go to chomp on something yummy? Make sure to keep your pets away from the table and unattended plates of food, and be sure to secure the lids on garbage cans.
Looking to stuff your pet's stockings? Choose gifts that are safe. 

• Dogs have been known to tear their toys apart and swallowing the pieces, which can then become lodged in the esophagus, stomach or intestines. Stick with chew toys that are basically indestructible such as Kongs that can be stuffed with healthy foods or chew treats that are designed to be safely digestible. 

• Long, stringy things are a feline's dream, but the most risky toys for cats involve ribbon, yarn and loose little parts that can get stuck in the intestines, often necessitating surgery. Surprise kitty with a new ball that's too big to swallow, a stuffed catnip toy or the interactive cat dancer—and tons of play sessions together.

Holly Jolly Plants be Poisonous ~ 
Holly, when ingested, can cause pets to suffer nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems. And many varieties of lilies, can cause kidney failure in cats if ingested. Opt for just-as-jolly artificial plants made from silk or plastic, or choose a pet-safe bouquet.

Oh Bring us Some Figgy Pudding ~ 
Fatty, spicy and no-no human foods, as well as chicken bones, should not be fed to your furry friends. Pets can join the festivities in other fun ways that won't lead to costly medical bills.

Chocolate ~ 
Most people understand that chocolate is toxic to pets.  Unsweetened baking chocolate carries a much higher dose of the toxin theobromine than does milk chocolate, but even normal milk chocolate can be dangerous in higher amounts.  Clinical signs of chocolate poisoning include hyper-excitability, nervousness, vomiting, and diarrhea and death.  Inducing vomiting to empty the stomach is the first step in treatment but if the toxin has been absorbed your pet will likely need to be hospitalized for further treatment. 

That Holiday Glow ~

Don't leave lighted candles unattended. Pets may burn themselves or cause a fire if they knock candles over. Be sure to use appropriate candle holders, placed on a stable surface. And if you leave the room, put the candle out!
Keep wires, batteries and glass or plastic ornaments out of paws' reach. A wire can deliver a potentially lethal electrical shock and a punctured battery can cause burns to the mouth and esophagus, while shards of breakable ornaments can damage your pet's mouth.
If your animal-loving guests would like to give your pets a little extra attention and exercise while you're busy tending to the party, ask them to feel free to start a nice play or petting session.

Christmas Cheer ~
Make sure all of your medications are locked behind secure doors, and be sure to tell your guests to keep their meds (of all sorts) zipped up and packed away, too.
If your celebration includes adult holiday beverages, be sure to place your unattended alcoholic drinks where pets cannot get to them. If ingested, your pet could become weak, ill and may even go into a coma, possibly resulting in death from respiratory failure.



Silent Night ~ 
Give your pet his own quiet space to retreat to—complete with fresh water and a place to snuggle. Shy pups and cats might want to hide out under a piece of furniture, in their carrying case or in a separate room away from the hubbub.
As you count down to the new year, please keep in mind that strings of thrown confetti can get lodged in a cat's intestines, if ingested, perhaps necessitating surgery. Noisy poppers can terrify pets and cause possible damage to sensitive ears.

 

Bottom Line ~ 
While the holidays are a time for celebrating, we need to remember that what is fun and (mostly) safe for us ~ could cause harm to the furriest member of the family. Take some extra care to make sure all of your "babies" have a safe and happy holiday too!

  

Want to know if everyone you love is safe? 

Brew City Insurance is a great place to start.

Come in to Brew City Insurance for a no-obligation insurance review. 
We will make sure you and all your family are safe this holiday season.

Brew City Insurance Agency Inc. is located 2937 S Chicago Ave. in South Milwaukee between Pick N Save and Walgreens.

Stop in today and see what we can do for you! Or call 414-762-6600 and we can quote you right over the phone. 

We have several companies to choose from.

Visit our web page to find out more! http://www.brewcityinsurance.com

Or find out even more about us here.

Storing a Motorcycle or a Car for the Winter? Here's a Hint: Keep the Insurance on it!!

At Brew City Insurance it is our mission to offer customers a truly exceptional insurance buying experience. We provide our customers with the knowledge to choose the best possible insurance products that fulfill their wants and needs. Our friendly, knowledgeable and professional staff will help inspire, problem-solve, and best of all EDUCATE our customers so they can choose the coverage that best fits at a reasonable price.

Let me clear up a MAJOR misconception about storing your motorcycle, classic car, RV, boat, or any other motorized recreational toy for the winter (or any time for that matter).

Don't just drop the insurance -  

Because if it is stolen or damaged, IT IS NOT COVERED BY YOUR HOMEOWNER’S INSURANCE POLICY!

Some folks try to save a few bucks by completely cancelling their insurance during the colder months.  If you do this and your toy (this means almost any motorized vehicle) is some how wrecked (damaged or totaled), YOU ARE STUCK with the bill; you can’t make anyone or any insurance company pay for it.  And yes, S&%# happens; we hear all kinds of bad stories.  Here are a few examples of unfortunate events that won’t be covered if you cancel your insurance policy completely:

• Your garage floods, damaging the vehicle.
• Garage catches fire (can you say propane-fried-turkey?, portable heater, etc.)
• Your vehicle is stolen.
• Your roof leaks and/or your roof falls in.
• A tree blows over during a storm, hitting garage & causing damage to the vehicle.
• Rodents chew seats, interior, or wiring.
• A fire that started in the house spreads to garage, totaling the vehicle.

Comprehensive Coverage ~

This coverage just pays for damage to your vehicle not caused by a collision. This can include damage or loss from theft, vandalism, falling objects, fire, storms, flood and certain other natural disasters.  So, if you want your vehicle fixed or replaced because of any of these types of losses, you MUST maintain your Comprehensive Coverage when it is in storage.

Beware ~

If you only keep Comprehensive Coverage on your vehicle and you take that short ride in March (O.K...this is Wisconsin , so lets say April) and crash ~ you won’t be covered because you did not have Collision Coverage (not legally required, but needed if you want your vehicle fixed in a crash) or cause Bodily Injury Coverage (legally required).

Off site storage ~

What if I store my toy at the dealership or another storage facility?  When you pay a facility that for storage of a vehicle, I guarantee you’ll sign an agreement beforehand.  That agreement most certainly will say that you promise to keep insurance on your bike and that they are not liable for any damage.

Therefore, no matter where you store your vehicle, if you want it covered for damage or theft, make sure you at least keep Comprehensive Coverage on it. Finally, you cannot drive your vehicle at all unless you have the legally required insurance or you will not be covered after a wreck.

Bottom Line ~ 

Everyone assumes that their homeowners covers whatever is on their property, and vehicles stored away from their property. This is just not the case. Only a select few items (such as a non-motorized row boat) are actually covered. Nearly every single motorized toy; from ATV's, to snowmobiles, to golf carts, are NOT covered by homeowners unless you have specifically insured them with your company. Don't let a few dollars a month cause you to lose a treasured recreational toy!

Insurance laws for stored vehicles can be confusing and there are many misconceptions and misinformation out there.  Feel free to call us with any questions on this or any issue.

When shopping around for any insurance, 

Brew City Insurance is a great place to start..

Brew City Insurance has access to several major companies. We are able to run you through a rating service and find which company offers the best coverage at a premium to best meet your needs. There are several Wisconsin based insurance companies who do not advertise on TV, radio and therefore have lower premiums. And you will still have the convenience of the high quality personal service we offer instead of a 1-800 number and a call center somewhere overseas.

Brew City Insurance Agency Inc. is located at 2937 S Chicago Ave. in South Milwaukee between Pick N Save and Walgreens.

Stop in today and see what we can do for you! Or call 414-762-6600 and we can quote you right over the phone. 

Visit our web page to find out more! http://www.brewcityinsurance.com

Why do I need Renters Insurance if I am in college?

At Brew City Insurance it is our mission to offer customers a truly exceptional insurance buying experience. We provide our customers with the knowledge to choose the best possible insurance products that fulfill their wants and needs. Our friendly, knowledgeable and professional staff will help inspire, problem-solve, and best of all EDUCATE our customers so they can choose the coverage that best fits at a reasonable price. 

College students renting an off-campus apartment or house while away at school should consider purchasing renters insurance to protect their personal property, such as a computer, television, stereo, bicycle or furniture, and even a guitar in the event that it is damaged, destroyed or stolen.

Even if a student is a dependent under his or her parent’s insurance, the student’s personal property, in many cases, is not covered if the student lives off campus.

What is Renters Insurance?

Renters insurance protects your personal property against damage or loss, and insures you in case someone is injured while on the your property.

Why Purchase Renters Insurance?

If you live in a rented apartment, house or condominium, your landlord’s insurance doesn’t cover your personal property in the event that it is stolen or damaged as a result of a fire, theft or other unexpected circumstance.

College students living in off-campus housing are ideal candidates for needing renters insurance, since many students bring thousands of dollars worth of personal items, such as electronics, a computer, textbooks, clothes, furniture, and even guitars, with them to school. It is the student's responsibility to provide coverage for these valuable items.

If a college student is living in an off-campus house or apartment with one or several roommates,  a renters insurance policy is a must. Each of the roommates must get his or her own policy. One policy does not cover the entire apartment (or frat house) ~ it only covers the policy holders possessions.

The premiums for renters insurance average between $10 and $30 per month depending on the location and size of the rental unit and the policyholder’s possessions.

Basic Options

Most renters insurance policies provide two basic types of coverage: personal property and liability. Personal property coverage pays to repair or replace personal belongings if they are damaged, stolen, or even destroyed .

Liability insurance also provides coverage against a claim or lawsuit resulting from bodily injury or property damage to others caused by an accident while on the policyholder’s property.

 Shop for the Right Coverage

Another important factor to look for when shopping for renters insurance is “actual cash value” vs. “replacement cost” coverage.

Actual cash-value coverage will reimburse the renter for the cost of the personal property at the time of the claim, minus the deductible. It’s important to account for depreciation when considering this coverage option. For example, if your guitar was accidentally damaged, five years after the guitar was purchased, the policyholder would only be reimbursed for the current value of the guitar.

Replacement cost coverage, on the other hand, will reimburse the full value of the new guitar, after you purchase the new system and submit your receipts. While the up-front cost may be slightly more, you are more likely to receive accurate compensation for your possessions. This is the best coverage.

Other Points of Interest Regarding Renters Insurance

When a claim is reported, the insurance company will ask the policyholder for proof of purchase for all items reported on the claim. A comprehensive list of possessions, including purchase prices, model numbers and serial numbers, will suffice. It also is a good idea to take photos or video footage of any personal possessions for documentation, making sure it is stored in a secure, off-site location.

When determining how much, if any, renters insurance you should purchase, estimate the value of your personal possessions, typically between $10,000 and $30,000. This is the amount of insurance you will need to replace your stuff if everything were destroyed, say ~ by a huge a party of some kind.

One of the smartest things you can do as a renter is reduce the chances of needing to file a claim altogether.

• lock your doors
• secure items of value from harm
• leave valuables at home when going out
• if it is irreplaceable you may want to, again, store it in a secure, off-site location

These are all common sense items.

In all cases, it is recommended to call an independent insurance agent when purchasing renters insurance for a student away at college.

If protecting your stuff is important to you - Brew City Insurance is a great place to start.

Come in to Brew City Insurance for a no-obligation insurance review.

We will make sure you and all your family are safe all year long.

Brew City Insurance Agency Inc. is located at:
2937 S Chicago Ave. in South Milwaukee between Pick N Save and Walgreens.

Stop in today and see what we can do for you!

Or call 414-762-6600 and we can quote you right over the phone.

We have several companies to choose from.

Visit our web page at - http://www.brewcityinsurance.com, 

Or find out even more about us here.

Do you live in an Apartment? Then why don't you care about your stuff?

At Brew City Insurance it is our mission to offer customers a truly exceptional insurance buying experience. We provide our customers with the knowledge to choose the best possible insurance products that fulfill their wants and needs. Our friendly, knowledgeable and professional staff will help inspire, problem-solve, and best of all EDUCATE our customers so they can choose the coverage that best fits at a reasonable price. 

In the US  - more than 43 million people rent instead of own their home. The number of renters in the is near an all-time record high. Sadly - according to the Insurance Information Institute poll, only 41 percent of renters carry renters insurance. This is a substantial difference from homeowners of whom 95 percent carry a homeowners insurance policies.

People often underestimate how much it would cost to replace ALL of their belongings. Think of it this way - Take your house and dump it up-side-down (I know IMPOSSIBLE) and shake it. Now take everything that falls out, from dishes, to towels, food, appliances, clothing, furniture, etc. etc. and add up the cost if you had to replace each and every single item!! Most people have between $10,000 and $50,000 dollars in personal property in an apartment.

Renters insurance is both a good value and very affordable. It provides coverage for your belongings should those items be stolen, destroyed or damaged and can also extend to personal items keep inside your vehicle or away from home. Also, it has liability coverage that helps pay for accidental property damage or injuries to any guests you may have over. For example, let's say that a friend trips down your stairs and takes a tumble ending up in the hospital. Your liability coverage could cover this.

Here are some common misconceptions:

#1 - My landlord's insurance policy will cover my personal belongings in the event of fire or theft.
Truth: Your landlord's insurance policy will cover the building you live in, but that coverage rarely  extends to the possessions owned by the renter.

#2 -  Renters insurance is expensive.
Truth: Renters insurance costs typically between $10 and $20 per month.

#3 - Renters insurance coverage is very limited.
Truth: Most renters insurance policies provide coverage for:

• Theft 
• Fire
• Lightning, Windstorm, and Hail
• Frozen plumbing system damage
• Vandalism
• A renter forced to temporarily move out of their home due to a fire, for example.
• A person injured in the your apartment or home that requires medical attention.
• Items kept inside your vehicle if they are damaged or stolen.

Bottom line - If you have to replace all of your stuff it can be very very expensive should they be suddenly lost due to a fire or other tragic event. Renters insurance provides peace of mind allowing renters to keep their lives on track should a major setback occur.

Would you like to protest your stuff? Save some money? 
And have a great agency???

Brew City Insurance is a great place to start.

Come in to Brew City Insurance for a no-obligation insurance review. 
We will make sure you and all your family are safe all year long.

Brew City Insurance Agency Inc. is located at 2937 S Chicago Ave. in South Milwaukee between Pick N Save and Walgreens.

Stop in today and see what we can do for you! Or call 414-762-6600 and we can quote you right over the phone. 

Visit our web page to find out more! http://www.brewcityinsurance.com

5 easy ways to keep insurance costs down for your teen driver

SO - Why are teens so expensive? 

(This picture says it all)

Statistics. Insurance companies calculate premiums based on the probability of an accident happening. The greater the probability, the greater the chance of a claim, and teens are by far the riskiest drivers in the world. And it is no surprise that car accidents are the number 1 cause of death for teens ages 16 to 19. They are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than people ages 20 and older. Boys are riskier than girls for a number of reasons, including not recognizing hazardous situations, speeding, not using seat belts and driving while intoxicated. Although the use of phones while driving is beginning to even out the risks for both, but we'll talk more about this later. 

If you’re trying to keep insurance costs down here are a few tips.

Sign them up for a driving class (well you HAVE to...).

Wisconsin requires teen driver’s education for those under 18 to be licensed for good reason; students who take driver’s ed are better prepared for the road and are less likely to have an accident. However, this helps keep the rates in our state down for everyone.

Consider Delaying the license (I know this may be tough).

By delaying, your insurance rate decreases slightly. Hopefully your teen is slightly more mature when they hit the road. However, you need to balance this with gaining experience. This also affects your rates. So this may or may not help.

Companies prefer students with decent grades.

 

Often times insurance carriers offer a pretty good discount for both high school and college students earning a GPA of 3.0 and above. Again, statistically speaking, good students tend to be less risky. You could save as much as 15-20 percent each year.

This is the BIG one - Shop around for insurance!

Some insurance companies just don't want young drivers. Seems wrong, but they get to choose who their target customers are. Shopping around is the most effective tool for saving money. Ask about good student discounts, distant student discounts (for when a teen goes away to college without a car), low mileage discounts, insuring just one car for a teen (some policies allow this), higher deductibles (usually a big break) and bundling with homeowners insurance.

This ALSO is a big one - Either share a vehicle or buy 'em a junker.

Honestly - Do you want to give your teen a car like the one above?

For most families, sharing a car is a no-brainer because buying a third car cost money. The upside of sharing your car is that you can control how often the car is shared and insight into their activities while they use it. 
Buying a "junker" (don't actually buy junk please) for cash* has an advantages. You may be decide to buy liability only coverage, a much cheaper coverage. This ONLY covers damage to others property in an "at-fault" accident and nothing for your junker car. It is cheaper because insurance companies would rather not pay for both cars in an accident should it be your teens fault. Remember - performance cars for teens cost a FORTUNE to insure.

*Note - All cars with loans are required to have "full coverage" by the lien holder. 

Bottom line

Teen drivers are more expensive to insure. It will be necessary to do your homework to save money. Hopefully some of these tips will help.

One very important note - if you are like some folks that decide to send you kid out into the world to buy insurance on their own - I will tell your that 1) they very likely will NOT be able to afford it and 2) will most likely not keep up on payments once they start due to cost. If you add a driver to your current policy you could possibly give that driver your multi-car discount, or home discount, good credit discount, or many other discounts you already may be getting. and 3) They probably have no idea what "insurance" actually is and does.

You've been responsible for them this long - you might want to help them through one of the most difficult transition periods of their lives to this point. 

Is there a teen driver in your house?
​

Brew City Insurance can help

Come in to Brew City Insurance to see who has the lowest teen driver rates.

Brew City Insurance Agency Inc. is located at:

2937 S Chicago Ave. in South Milwaukee between Pick N Save and Walgreens.

Stop in today and see what we can do for you!

Or call 414-762-6600 and we can quote you right over the phone.

We have several companies to choose from.
We can also cover you if you do decide to open a business.

Visit our web page at - http://www.brewcityinsurance.com, 

Or find out even more about us here.

Is It Time to Give Your Insurance Policies a Checkup?

At Brew City Insurance it is our mission to offer customers a truly exceptional insurance buying experience. We provide our customers with the knowledge to choose the best possible insurance products that fulfill their wants and needs. Our friendly, knowledgeable and professional staff will help inspire, problem-solve, and best of all EDUCATE our customers so they can choose the coverage that best fits at a reasonable price.

The insurance industry often urges customers to review their policies every once in a while to make sure everything is up to date. The biggest issue is that insurance policies are written by lawyers and can be somewhat confusing.

The No. 1 reason people need to be reviewing all insurance policies is because circumstances change, and you do not want to be left underinsured or paying too much for insurance you no longer need.

So if you'd might rather do anything but comb through your insurance policies, remember there are some strong arguments for buckling down for a review. One issue that comes up during a review is that insurance policies are written by lawyers and can be somewhat confusing. Meeting with an independent insurance agent can help you decipher what is actually covered and for how much. 

You may catch mistakes ~
You probably have a lot of insurance policies -- health insurance, life insurance, auto insurance, homeowners insurance. There may be an error or two or three in one or more of those policies. For instance, Aflac, which provides supplemental health insurance, found in its annual employee benefits study, which surveyed 5,209 employed adults and 1,856 benefits decision-makers at companies, that 42 percent of workers waste up to $750 each year on insurance benefit mistakes.

You might find a better rate ~
Ken Davidson, co-founder of Dallas-based Eagle Independent Insurance, points out that you may lower your premium if you regularly compare insurance quotes.

"Insurance premiums can frequently change for several reasons," Davidson says, citing homeowners insurance as a type you'd want to look at fairly often. The crime rate, for example, could go up or down, changing your rates. You may have purchased your homeowners insurance policy after recent storms that could have inflated the rates, and perhaps your insurance company's rates haven't come down but competitors' rates have. "So only by comparing different policies at every renewal period -- or even more frequently -- can consumers ensure they're getting the best deal at that time," Davidson says. Independent insurance agents can offer several companies to compare, guaranteeing you get the most competitive prices. 

You have more assets ~
Your life doesn't just change. What you cover does. Here is an example of how assets can change: a client had a diamond ring stolen in a home burglary. Fortunately, she scheduled* the ring and it was insured, and the client was sent a $6,000 check. So the client went to the jeweler to replace the diamond ring.
*things like jewelry are only typically covered up to $2,500 per item. Policies will pay for the replacement if the item is reported (scheduled) with the insurance company for a very small fee. 

But the client wasn't able to replace the diamond ring -- because if she did, she would have to kick in a lot of her own money. When the jeweler was given the check to replace the diamond ring, he advised [her] that the ring had appreciated to over $18,000 and the $6,000 was not nearly enough. She could have had the item appraised and updated the insurance company to its current value.

Besides jewelry ~ you've likely been around a while and you have probably collected some stuff over the years. And perhaps a lot of it is expensive. You should always consider a major purchase for insurance purposes.

According to a study released March 31 by Liberty Mutual Insurance surveyed 1,936 American adults from January 28 to February 5 -- 

• fewer than 1 in 5 Americans adjust their insurance policy after making a major purchase,
• only 18 percent have formal documentation of their belongings, meaning that everyone just makes an estimated guess or stores all the information in their heads,
• one-third of Americans don't know the value of their household possessions, and
• almost 10 percent are unaware that they should check to make sure they have enough coverage to protect their belongings from theft or damage.

Don't forget the small things ~
How much do you have in personal property besides the big things? The best way to determine how much personal property insurance you should carry ~ do this mental exercise. Take your entire house and flip it upside-down and shake it. Everything that falls out is personal property. Sure TVs and collectibles can be expensive ~ but image replacing every piece of clothing, sheet, towel, tool, dish, sporting good, etc... those things are going to add up very quickly.

You may decide it's time to bundle ~
If you have four different policies with four different carriers, you might want to bundle a few. That is, have your homeowners and car insurance with one company, for example. You can often get discounts of at least 10 percent when you start bundling.

You may get some other discounts ~ 
Homeowners can earn credits on premiums by installing safety devices like burglar alarms, water leak detection systems, battery backups for sump pumps and automatic standby generators. When combined, these credits can reduce homeowners' premiums by 30 percent or more. Think about that. If you bought a security system months ago, or years ago, and you didn't tell your homeowners insurance agent, you have probably been overpaying on your homeowners insurance for some time.

Your life has probably changed ~
If you bought life insurance when you were single and now you're married or after your first child was born, and you're now on baby No. 2, you're probably long overdue for an upgrade. Or maybe you bought a new boat, finished your degree, remodeled your basement, or one of a million things that have changed ~ you are probably in need of a good review.

Bottom Line ~
François de la Rochefoucauld said it best ~ “The only thing constant in life is change”. It's time to document your assets, gather your policies, and meet with an independent insurance agent to have an expert review your policies with you to see if they actually cover what you have and the changes in your life.

Would you like to do a review of your life? Save some money? 
And have a great agency???

Brew City Insurance is a great place to start.

Come in to Brew City Insurance for a no-obligation insurance review. 
We will make sure you and all your family are safe all year long.

Brew City Insurance Agency Inc. is located at 2937 S Chicago Ave. in South Milwaukee between Pick N Save and Walgreens.

Stop in today and see what we can do for you! Or call 414-762-6600 and we can quote you right over the phone. 

Visit our web page to find out more! http://www.brewcityinsurance.com

Distracted Drivers Made Driving More Dangerous - And Now YOU Will Pay More Because of It.

At Brew City Insurance it is our mission to offer customers a truly exceptional insurance buying experience. We provide our customers with the knowledge to choose the best possible insurance products that fulfill their wants and needs. Our friendly, knowledgeable and professional staff will help inspire, problem-solve, and best of all EDUCATE our customers so they can choose the coverage that best fits at a reasonable price. 

Today's mobile phones are EVIL. I know that is harsh. But the phone that hung on my parents wall was a marvel, a life saver, a simplistic way to communicate with people world wide. We would call friends and neighbors and talk for hours. 

Now our smartphones bear very little resemblance to the phones of old. They are used less and less for actual conversations - instead they are connected to the internet of things and a myriad of "social apps" (a misnomer in my opinion) and have hypnotized an entire generation that can't even walk down a sidewalk without staring at it. Even worse, they can't seem to put them away while they are driving a 3,500 lb. missile down the road at 65 MPH.  

Everyone has seen a driver distracted by a cell phone - but when YOU are on the phone - you often don't realize that distracted driver is you. Here is the statistic that scares me most;

• When polled, 77% of adults and 55% of teenage drivers say that they can easily manage texting while driving.

Let's get the horrifying numbers out of the way. I only included about 1/1000th of what is out there. And the results of the statistics are staggering really.

• Over 2.5 million people in the U.S. are involved in road accidents each year. Of these, 1.6 million have a cell phone involved in them in some way.
• 10% of adults and 20% of teenagers have admitted that they have entire conversations over text message platforms while driving.
• Texting and driving is 6 times more likely to get you in an accident than drunk driving. 
• Every day, 11 teenagers die because they were texting while driving.
• 94% of teenagers understand the consequences of texting and driving, but 35% of them admitted that they do it anyway.

But there is another effect from all of this carelessness - and this one is going to hit you in your wallet this time.  A great example? State Farm, the nation’s largest auto insurer, just reported a staggering

$7 BILLION dollar loss 

from their auto insurance division. Let that sink in for a minute. The result is that they are being forced to raise costs on EVERYONE'S auto policies as smartphones distract drivers and repair costs and injuries climb. On average State Farm customers will see at LEAST a 6% in 2017 and much more as more loss numbers come. 

State Farm is one example - Travelers along with Allstate Corp. and Geico also announced rate increases. These are just the tip of the iceberg in companies that are raising auto insurance premiums across the board. Forbes Magazine says that the increase in the accident rate has resulted in auto insurance companies “bleeding money.” Almost all major companies raised their premiums for 2016 and are expected to raise them again for 2017.

So - What can you do??

The best thing to do is to find a local independent insurance agency. While insurance is likely to continue to rise - some companies will take smaller increases than others based on their loses. Prefered carriers offer better rates to better drivers and thus attract better drivers to their company saving everyone money. Independent agents can shop you to several companies and ensure the best rates.

Did your rates go up this year?
​

Brew City Insurance can help

Come in to Brew City Insurance for a no-obligation insurance review.

Brew City Insurance Agency Inc. is located at:

2937 S Chicago Ave. in South Milwaukee between Pick N Save and Walgreens.

Stop in today and see what we can do for you!

Or call 414-762-6600 and we can quote you right over the phone.

We have several companies to choose from.
We can also cover you if you do decide to open a business.

Visit our web page at - http://www.brewcityinsurance.com, 

Or find out even more about us here.