Time to remodel or expand the home?  Have you called your insurance agent who insures your home?

Yes, always contact your agent when you start a project.  There are several reasons to contact your agent:

• You may need to increase your coverage to reflect the increase in replacement cost of your home.  Remember, the majority of homes are underinsured.  Don’t get caught short if you have a fire and need to rebuild your home.
• If you purchase additional items of personal property, discuss insuring them  to see if you need additional coverage.
• Consider Flood Insurance; Homeowner’s policies do not cover flood.
• Check to see if the remodeling earned you any discounts on your homeowner’s insurance premium:
  • Did you add an alarm?
  • Did you upgrade your plumbing, roof, heating or electrical?

Here are a few additional tips:

• Make sure you contractor is insured.  Ask for a Certificate of Insurance from your contractor with you listed on the certificate.
• Ask the builder or contractor if you need a Builders’ Risk policy.  Better yet, call your agent and discuss your need for a Builders’ Risk policy.

For more information and tips from FEMA and Spencer Insurance on how to protect yourself from bad contractors, check out our website at http://spencerinsurance.com/remodeling-your-home/.  Don’t find out too late that you did not have the right coverage.  Call your agent as soon as you start planning a project.

I just wanted to remind everyone (especially the Dads out there) that Mother’s Day is this Sunday May 13th.

If you are a Mom, all of us at Spencer Insurance wish you the best for your Mother’s Day this Sunday.  We thank you for all you do and continue to do for others.

I especially want to send out a special “Happy Mother’s Day” to my mom.  She continues to amaze us.  She and my Dad raised 7 of us.   I thank you for all you did for our family and continue to do.  Your love is a great example to all the generations that follow! We are most fortunate to have 4 generations of Spencers (pictured above).

If you aren’t a mom, remember to give your mom a call or if she has passed think of a special moment that you shared with her.

We would be very happy if you would share some thoughts and memories about your mother.  Just comment below.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms from your Friends at Spencer Insurance!

Steve and Charlie Spencer present checks to the Abington Township Police Athletic League and The Society of St. Vincent DePaul.

Each quarter Spencer Insurance chooses a charity to be the beneficiary of the Spencer Referral Rewards Program. Spencer Insurance donates $5 for each referral we receive from our clients and friends. In addition, Spencer Insurance donates $1 for each new Facebook “Like” during that quarter.

From April 1st to June 30th we will donate to the Cathy’s Kids Foundation. This Foundation raises money to send a family with a child with cancer to Walt Disney World. Check out the Foundation’s Website and their Facebook Page. Like their page for more information. While you are on Facebook, search for the Spencer Insurance Facebook Page. “Like” our page and we will donate $1 to Cathy’s Kids Foundation. Send us a referral and we will donate $5 to Cathy Kids Foundation.

To find out more about the Spencer Referral$ Reward$ Program go to our website.

Thank you for your referrals!

Share your comments below.  Have you supported these charities? What are your experiences with these charities?

The new Pa Texting while driving law has been in force for over a month now.  Many people have commented to me that it is not enforceable.  However, I think the law  is a step in the right direction. I think the law should be strengthened to include a total ban on using hand help phones for any purpose.

Hopefully, having the law may persuade some people not to text and drive.  It is sad that we need to legislate common sense, but sometimes we need laws to protect us from ourselves.

I think most people are so accustomed to texting that they just don’t even give it a thought when they text and drive.  I ask that you take a moment and just consider some of the consequences of texting and driving:

• You get a $50 ticket
• Someone honks their horn because the light has turned green and you are still texting
• You cause a serious injury while texting and get sued
• You cause serious injury or death and are convicted of reckless driving and get jail time
• You are injured or killed and leave your family without a parent or grandparent

Make the right decision not to use a hand held cell phone while driving.  Take a moment to pull over to answer the phone or text.  Think of the example you are setting for your children and grandchildren when you use a cell phone while driving.

I would like to ask you a favor.  Share with us your experiences.  Let me know what happened to you when someone else was texting or used a hand held cell phone while driving near you.  Let me know what you do.  Do you text?  If so, why do you do it?  Did you ever witness an accident or near accident because someone was using a hand held cell phone.

Share your comments below.  Maybe your comment will be just what someone needs to hear to stop texting while driving.

At Spencer Insurance we are committed to helping people (especially teens) become safe drivers.  Check out our website for tips on how to make your teen a safe driver.  Check out our online module on distracting driving.  This interactive module illustrates many of the distraction we all deal with everyday, not just cell phone use.  We are pleased to provide these to you because at Spencer Insurance, “Your Protection and Peace of Mind is our only Business!”

(Charlie’s family at Laura’s wedding in November)

Here is an article I wrote for our website.  Last November my daughter was married and this July my son Brian is getting married.  So I gathered some information to help newly engaged couples plan for their big day.

If you know someone planning for a wedding pass this along to them.

Congratulations on your engagement!

What do I do now that I am engaged?

• Insure your engagement ring
• Plan your wedding ceremony and reception
  • Search the web for sites that help you plan your wedding. Ask people you know who were recently married how they planned their wedding.
  • Purchase Wedding Insurance – Most people don’t know you can insure a wedding. Check with Spencer Insurance Agency to get this valuable coverage for under $300. Reasons to insure your wedding. . .
    • Protects you from losing your deposit should the venue for your wedding go bankrupt.
    • Protects you from losing your deposits should you not have the wedding due to sickness, weather and other factors. Sorry, no coverage for “Cold Feet.”
    • Protect your wedding gifts from theft the day of the wedding.
    • Consider other reasons, the photographer goes bankrupt, your wedding dress is not delivered on time.
• Review your finances with your future spouse and a financial planner
  • Discuss how you will handle your finances once you are married.
  • Discuss your current assets with each other and decide how to protect them.
  • Be aware of what you will need to do after your wedding day.
  • Spencer Insurance Agency works with many financial planners and can recommend one if necessary. We are not CPAs or lawyers and do not provide legal advice. We suggest you consult your accountant, financial planner, lawyer and other professionals as you take this big step.

What do I need to do after I get married?

• If you are changing your name. . .
  • Check your documents and change your name on:
  • Social Security Card – You will need to do this first so you can change your name on other identification.
  • Driver’s License
  • Other Identification
• Notify your employer
  • Change your Federal withholding status if necessary
  • Review your Group Health Coverage
  • Tell your creditors, utilities and other vendors of your name change
  • Discuss your name change with your doctor and see what needs to be done to have your spouse pick up a referral or prescription for you. You may need to sign a form.
• Update your benefits and beneficiaries
  • Review all your life polices, group and individual
  • Check the beneficiaries listed on your retirement accounts
  • Since marriage is a life changing event, you may be able to make changes to your group benefits. Check with your HR department or employer.
• Review your insurance policies to make sure you are getting all the discounts you are entitled to receive
  • Auto Insurance – Review your coverages and consider combining your policies to get the most discounts. Make sure both spouses are listed as drivers on each policy if you do not combine them.
  • Homeowner’s Insurance – This can be complicated especially if you are merging two residences into one. Make sure all your contents, collectibles and valuables are covered by the policy you are keeping before you cancel the other insurance policy.
  • Consider an Umbrella Insurance Policy
  • Consider purchasing Life Insurance
    • Read Rachel’s Story
    • Check out our Free Report: Spencer Tips on “What You Need to Know About Life Insurance. . . How to Make Sure The People You Intended To Get Your Life Insurance Benefits Actually Get the Benefits.”
    • If either spouse has children from a previous marriage, consult an attorney to update your will and Life Insurance.
  • Consider Disability Income Insurance if you rely on both spouse’s incomes to meet your expenses.

Call Spencer Insurance Agency at 215-885-2200 for a no obligation Insurance Review. Make sure you have all your bases covered now that you are married.

Do you have any tips for newly engaged couples?

Comment below and let us know how your wedding plans are going!

Check out the new design of our website at www.spencerinsurance.com.  It was designed with our clients in mind.  Spencer Insurance wants to provide the capability for our clients to communicate with us 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Please leave your comments about the site and let us know if there is anything we can do to improve our website!

We are very excited to release this new version of our website which will allow you to:

• Contact us for a:
• Policy change
• Billing question
• ID Card
• Certificate of Insurance request
• Account review
• Quote
• Get a listing of toll free phone numbers for all our insurance companies so you can report a claim or pay a bill      immediately
• Get information for life changing events such as:
• Getting Married
• Having a Baby
• Sending your child to college
• Preparing for retirement
• Get answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• Find Links to the PA, NJ and DE Department of Transportation and      other important sites
• Get Free Reports including:
• Spencer’s       Tips on “How To Save Money On Your Car Insurance”
• Spencer’s       Tips on “What You Need to Know about Life Insurance… How To Make Sure The       People You Intended To Get Your Life Insurance Benefits Actually Get The Benefits”
• Find out about many of our valuable programs including:
• The Spencer Insurance Emergency Contact Program
• Spencer Referral Reward$ Program

Although we want to be available for you 24 hours a day, we do not want to be an online site that just processes your requests. We want to maintain the personal service on which our agency was built.

Spencer Insurance wants to be able to consult with you concerning your insurance needs and to make sure you have the proper coverage. “Your Protection and Peace of Mind is our only Business!”

We welcome your comments on our newly designed website!

Here are a few yard tips or to do items to help you get ready for spring.

•  Start winter cleanup of the lawn when the grass is no longer sopping wet and planting beds stop being a sea of mud. Rake your lawn to get rid of dead growth, stray leaves, twigs and winter debris and let light and air to the soil level, encouraging the grass to grow.
•  Re-seed bare or damaged patches of lawn. Scratch up the soil with a rake first.  Mix a shovel of soil with a couple of scoops of grass seed and spread in the patch you’re fixing. Rake level and keep well-watered until seeds germinate and the new grass establishes.
•  Remove tree guards or burlap winter protection from any young trees or shrubs. Try not to leave tree guards in place over the summer. They keep rabbits and mice from nibbling on tender bark over the winter, but trees don’t need them in summer. They don’t allow enough air movement around the base of the trunk and that can promote rot of the bark.
•  Transplant any existing shrubs you want to move before they begin to leaf out.
•  Weeds start growing vigorously early, so when you spot them, go to it. Getting on top of the weeding now means a lot less work later. Weeds are easier to pull out while their roots are still shallow in early spring.
•  Get your lawn mower checked and its blades sharpened, if you didn’t get the job done in late winter. Sharp blades cut better and leave your lawn grass healthier.

Early spring garden jobs – in the flower garden

•  Don’t be in a rush to remove winter mulch or to cut back evergreen plants such as lavender until temperatures are reliably warm.
•  Freeze and thaw cycles over the winter may have given some of your plants the heave-ho. Replant any perennials that the frost has heaved out of the ground as soon as you can.
•  Cut back any remaining dead perennial foliage from last season (trimmings can go into the compost).
•  Cut back ornamental grasses to about 10 inches from the ground.
•  Remove winter protection of mounded earth from roses. Prune rose bushes before they start to leaf out.
•  Resist the urge to start digging in your flower beds too early. You can damage the soil’s structure. If you pick up a handful of soil, it should fall apart, not stick together like glue. When it’s dry enough, you can start to dig beds and add compost or manure in preparation for planting.
•  Grass growth is vigorous in the early spring garden, so edge your flower beds with a sharp trench between them and the grass to keep it in bounds. Repeat this job a couple of times through the season, or installing permanent edging goes a long way towards having a lower maintenance flower garden.

With all these preparations you will have a wonderful lawn and garden to enjoy all through the spring and summer months.  We are glad to provide these tips.  For tips on how to save money on your insurance check out our website at www.spencerinsurance.com.

#1 Insurance Agency and

#1 Life Insurance Agent in the

Montgomery Media’s Reader’s Choice Awards.

We thank you for making that possible.  Help us make it five years in a row.  Vote for your favorites at:

http://pa.journalregister.com/montgomerynews/mn1readerschoice.

Please choose us for

#1 Insurance Agency and

#1 Life Insurance Agent!

We are very grateful for your trust in Spencer Insurance Agency, Inc. and thank you for all the referrals you send us.

Keith Edwards

Keith won our 32” LCD HD TV

Big Spin Winners

January:           Tom Croke

February:         Mark Donathan

March:              Maureen Schultz

April:               Dave Shinton

May:                Jennifer Quinn

June:                Tim Shaw

July:                 Dawn Abbamondi

August              Denise Fleming

September        Terri Dunn

October             Laurie Drosky

November         Megan Leone

December        Shannon Gaul

For the first quarter of 2012, Spencer Insurance Agency will donate $5 for every referral you send us to the St. Vincent de Paul Society.  St. Vincent de Paul is all about “Neighbors helping Neighbors.”  With today’s economy, there are many heartbreaking circumstances right here in our community.  At Thanksgiving time, Tammy and I along with other adult volunteers coordinated a Thanksgiving Food Drive with our high school youth group at St. Luke’s parish in Glenside.  The Youth Group through St. Vincent de Paul Society was able to collect enough food to help several families in our area.

To find out more about this wonderful organization go to their website at http://svdp-phila.info. If you are able, please donate to this wonderful charity.

For more information on the Spencer Referral Reward$ Program, check out our website at www.spencerinsurance.com.
You may be our next Grand Prize winner or one of our monthly winners of the Spencer Big $pin.

Thank you for all your referrals.  We appreciate the confidence you place in Spencer Insurance Agency.