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Home Security on a Shoestring Budget

Home Security in St. Louis, MO Monthly bills can be daunting and for many, the choice of having food and shelter is more important than keeping burglars or robbers away from your home. However, when times are tough, the last thing you want to do is leave your valuables at risk of being stolen. Thanks to many modern security companies, keeping your home secured isn’t as expensive as it used to be. Consider these fun, techy options for home security on the cheap!

SimpliSafe: Instead of paying an alarm company $1500 or having to sign up for a lengthy contract at $40 per month, SimpliSafe sells do-it-yourself home security systems starting at just $245. Safe a bundle by going for a refurbished system. 24/7 monitoring starts at $.50 per day at time of writing this. You can also use the alarm locally and not pay an activation fee.
Canary: Canary is a great option for studio apartments, offices or other areas that are mainly one room. Canary is a small, all-in-one video device that detects motion and records video. It can send you text messages immediately and start recording when you’re away. If you want, you can call 911 or set off a local alarm to scare away any intruders. At just $149, it is a great do-it-yourself security option. Like the idea but have a bigger house? Canary offers additional camera options to add to your main device to monitory as many places as you’d like. They do offer a cloud based service to keep videos.
Arlo: With wire-free cameras and weatherproof design, Arlo is a good option for securing the outdoor of your home or recording at night. With HD, night vision cameras, your home can stay secure day or night. You can even talk through them using the Arlo App! Receive alerts along with HD video right to your phone so you can review and take action if necessary. Another great option for the do-it-yourselfer who doesn’t want the monthly fees. Arlo comes with a free 7 day cloud storage.
Ring: A video recording doorbell. Now that’s genius. Ring can record motion and you can talk to people through it like an intercom system even if you’re not away. Ring offers many options for security cameras beyond just the doorbell. Starting at $199 it is a great, simple security protection right at your front door.

Home security doesn’t have to be expensive. Utilizing technology and a little do-it-yourself ambition, you can secure your home and keep your valuables safe and secure.

If you are looking for great home insurance coverage, call us today or visit our website.

Choosing The Lowest Insurance Coverage May Not Always Be Best Plan

We’re flooded daily with insurance commercials claiming that shopping with them will get you the lowest insurance premiums of any company out there. Saving money on your insurance is important, but the lowest insurance premiums are usually accompanied by the lowest insurance coverage.

Determining what insurance coverages you need is something that only a qualified local insurance agent can help you decide. We care more about you being covered adequately than simply giving you the cheapest premiums.

Do you need the auto insurance coverages below? Discuss with us & we’ll help determine what makes the most sense for your personal needs.

Collision Coverage: protection for your car from damage whether at-fault or not. Premiums weigh heavily on the value of your vehicle.

Comprehensive Coverage: pays for damage to your vehicle from things such as contact with an animal, fire, theft or vandalism.

Medical Payments: Commonly known as MedPay or PIP, this covers medical bills as a direct results of an accident regardless of fault.

Uninsured Motorist: Coverage for being involved with an uninsured driver. Both physical damage (your car) and bodily injury are offered.

Underinsured Motorist: Coverage to help cover a gap from a motorist who has insurance, but not enough to cover the loss.

When deciding on what coverage options to have, take these situations into account:

Scenario 1: You purchase a low cost, low coverage liability policy with only $25,000 in Property Damage. You rear-end a new, two week old Toyota Camry totaling the vehicle. The Camry’s replacement cost is $35,000. You have to pay $10,000 out of pocket.

Scenario 2: You are t-boned by an uninsured motorist and have extensive medical bills in excess of $50,000. You do not have uninsured motorist coverage or personal health insurance and your auto medical payments only cover the first $10,000. You have to take the uninsured driver to court to pay your $40,000 in medical bills, in the meantime, you’re responsible for the $40,000 in bills.

Regardless of whether you’re shopping for a new home, auto, boat or motorcycle insurance policy if you want the lowest insurance premiums you should be aware that you’re usually lowering the amount of insurance coverage you have. Depending on your situation, this may not be a wise decision because it puts your financial future at risk by carrying low limits. As always, reach out to our insurance agency with any questions.

Educating Your Child About Insurance Before They Leave For College

Attending college is an exciting time for your child. Whether it’s deciding where to go, what to major in or figuring the finances, there are a lot of decisions to think about. Before your child leaves the nest, here are three things to consider when it comes to having the right insurance policy.

1.) Auto Insurance Policy

If they are taking their car to college, be sure to update their auto insurance policy. This can easily be taken care of by reaching out to your insurance agent! You’ll want to ensure your child is protected if they get into an accident or experience theft. If your child is attending college out of state, talk with us to see if anything changes on their auto insurance policy.
Not taking a car? We suggest still keeping them on your auto insurance policy if they plan to drive when they return home for a visit or in the event they need to borrow a friend’s car on campus.
Ask for discounts. See if your child qualifies for any additional discounts.
- Options include:
  - Good student discount
  - Distant-student discount.
  - Pay in full discount
  - Safe driver discount
  - Data tracking discount

2.) Educate On Liability

College is an amazing social and learning experience. Be sure your child understands the serious consequences of drinking and driving, buying alcohol for kids underage or the other risks that are associated with drugs and alcohol. One poor decision could impact the rest of their life.

3.) If worried about theft while living off-campus, invest in a renters insurance policy.

If your child owns valuable items like laptops, televisions, printers, cameras or other expensive items, invest in a renters insurance policy.
Construct a full inventory of your child’s items that include model and serial numbers.
If your child is living with roommates, remember each child needs their own policy.
A renters insurance policy offers more than just covering your property. It can provide important liability coverage.

If my child experiences theft, will I be fully reimbursed?

This is where actual cash value and replacement insurance coverage comes into play. Replacement cost is very simple: It is literally the cost to replace your item with an item of similar quality. Replacement cost policies tend to be a bit more expensive since you are essential getting a brand new item for one that may have otherwise depreciated. Actual cash value is the cost to replace the item minus any depreciation. So, if your child had wear and tear on an expensive electronic device, your insurance would pay out the cost of the electronic minus the depreciation. Talk to your agent for clarification.

Whether it’s changing your child’s auto insurance or investing in renters insurance, let our local experts at A. Jay Meier & Associates help you find the best insurance to fit your needs. For more information about A. Jay Meier & Associates, visit our website.

How to Prevent Foodborne Illness in Your Home

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 48 million Americans get sick from foodborne illness every year. A foodborne illness occurs when you consume contaminated food or beverages. It’s important to understand how to prevent foodborne illness in your home. There are also a few things to keep in mind when grocery shopping.

At the Grocery Store

Always place raw meat, poultry and seafood in plastic bags. This helps prevent any of their juices from dripping onto other items in your cart. If possible, store your meat, poultry or seafood in a specific section of your cart, like a bottom rack or front area.
Check your packaging before buying. If you are buying canned goods, don’t buy a can that has been dented or is bulging. There is a chance it could be contaminated if it’s lost its seal. For other packaging, don’t buy it if it has torn edges, ice crystals or has been opened.
Be aware of how long you are keeping your groceries in your car. Food safety experts say you have a 2 hour window of time between when you pick out your groceries at the store to when you put them away in your home. If the outdoor weather is hot (90 degrees or hotter), you have roughly one hour. Always store your groceries in an air conditioned car vs. a trunk. If you have a long drive ahead of you, consider bringing along a cooler for perishable items.

At Home

Do not keep cooked food at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Instead, refrigerate your cooked and perishable foods promptly.
Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds thoroughly with soap after handling raw meat. It’s good to practice sanitizing your kitchen surfaces before handling raw meat too.
Always use separate serving platters & kitchen utensils. You would never want to place your cooked meat on the same plate used for raw meat. Same goes for your utensils.
Be aware of your refrigerator temperature. If your temperature goes about 40° F, there is a chance bacteria can start to form.

Understanding proper food handling is crucial for foodborne illness prevention! Knowledge is the first step to keeping yourself, as well as your friends and family members, healthy. For more information, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you have questions about your insurance, call the insurance agents at A. Jay Meier & Associates. Established in 1972, A Jay Meier & Associates helps you evaluate your insurance, educate you on your coverage and communicate with you throughout the time you have insurance through their St. Louis, MO office. Because we are a financial representative as well as insurance broker, we can help you with anything from your auto and home insurance to your annuities and life insurance. Check out our insurance website 24/7 and request to speak to an agent.

Call today: 314.968.4444

Financial Representative
& Insurance Broker

Home Security on a Shoestring Budget

Choosing The Lowest Insurance Coverage May Not Always Be Best Plan

Educating Your Child About Insurance Before They Leave For College

How to Prevent Foodborne Illness in Your Home

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Home Security on a Shoestring Budget

Choosing The Lowest Insurance Coverage May Not Always Be Best Plan

Educating Your Child About Insurance Before They Leave For College

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