Sometimes, even though we've taken all the precautions, the worst happens, and disaster strikes our homes. It can be hard to know what to do first, and the insurance claim process can feel overwhelming. Here are some tips from us to help make the process go as smoothly as possible.

Retrieve your home inventory

A home inventory is absolutely vital. If you have one, you have a clear and up-to-date record for your claim. It will help you verify your losses and settle insurance claims faster. Be sure to update your home inventory at least once every year or so .
Easiest for me is a short 30 second video of each room with everything visible, email those videos to yourself and its saved online for easy review.

Get started right away

It might not be the first thing on your mind, but contact your insurance agent as soon as possible and start the claims process. They will be able to walk you through it. Once this process is started, a carrier will come to inspect the damage to your home.

Get the details

Your insurance agent will be on hand to help you through the process. They'll be experienced in situations like these, so find out:

1. Whether the disaster damage is covered under your policy

2. How long the claims process will take (can be more than a couple weeks in a Catastrophic event.)

3. What they need from you

Once you know what is covered, you can move forward with repairs and reimbursement.

During International Creativity Month, it's only right to shine a light on surely one of the most creative recent musical performances one could ever witness.

A string quartet floated through the picturesque Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, wowing passersby with a rendition of "Spring" from Vivaldi's Four Seasons, among other pieces. What made it so unique, though, was the vessel upon which they sailed: rather than a gondola, their transport of choice was an enormous floating violin.

The designer was Venetian sculptor and artist Livio De Marchi, renowned for creating a number of floating artworks for the city's waterways across the decades. This piece was created as a tribute to Venice's recovery from lockdown as the city rebuilds its arts and tourism industries following the loss of visitors over the past few years as well as a way to honor those affected by the global pandemic.

Video footage of the performance shows people in gondolas following closely behind the quartet, eagerly lapping up the scene and clearly grateful for the opportunity to hear live music in such a unique setting. Named Noah's Violin, the impressive installation first launched on September 18 and has been on regular parade ever since. Measuring 40 feet long, the stringed vessel was supported by the Venice Development Consortium and beautifully celebrates Venice's famous historic connection to music, art and creative pursuits. What better way than to showcase everything the city has to offer: classical music, stunning works of art and relaxing moments on the canals all rolled into one?

To a large pot, add all ingredients and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender (about 40 minutes).

Remove bay leaf and purée soup in a high-speed blender to desired consistency, in batches if necessary.

Serve.

We know, it really does sound better on vinyl! But what doesn't sound good is damage to your precious collection. You've spent years finding those rare 45s and 78s, and they're valuable in more ways than just sentimental. If you have a vinyl record collection worth protecting, make sure you follow this advice on how to protect and insure it.

Check your homeowners insurance

Sure, when you took out your insurance, you only had a few singles and one rare album, but that's changed now. Your homeowners insurance protects your belongings against theft or damage, but what most people are unaware of is standard insurance only protects 'collections' up to a few hundred dollars. This means you're going to have to find another way to protect that copy of Prince's The Black Album that's worth quite a lot more.

Schedule an endorsement

This is usually the cheaper of the two options. This will give you added coverage specific to your collection, and it means you get to stay with the same carrier. This could be handy if you need to file a claim for the collection and other contents in your home. However, depending on your collection, it might not go as far as you need it to.

Buy a personal articles floater

This means taking out a new policy with a company that has specialized experience in what you want to insure. Sure, it will come at a higher cost, but you're paying for the slight increase in risk. Its all about your comfort level.

Get an appraisal if High Value ex. $100k in a Train set.

No matter which option you choose, you should have an appraisal conducted of your collection as well as creating your own inventory with notes and pictures. 

If you don't want to be singing a sad song, get in touch with us for more information on policies and the right one for your collection.

Ever made a New Year's resolution that you then worry is unrealistic? The good news is there's no such thing. Here are five steps for following the dreams you really want to achieve.

Picture your dream clearly. Focus on what your dream is. Picture it as fully and vividly as possible, and then write down exactly what you see and how you see it. Research from Dominican University's Dr. Gail Matthews has shown people who write their goals down are 42% more likely to achieve them.

Ignore any negativity coming your way. A marathon runner is far more likely to take advice from someone who's run a marathon than an armchair-dwelling naysayer. Take feedback from those who want you to achieve your dreams, not those who'd rather shoot you down.

Surround yourself with positive influences. Now that you've filtered out the negative ideas and people who'd seek to hold you back, it's time to fill your headspace with stories and people who have achieved supposedly "unrealistic" dreams. Finding strong role models for yourself is a powerful way to break away from any limiting beliefs you may have previously had.

Spend a moment in your future self's shoes. Think about what kind of life you'd like to look back on when you're nearing the end. Do you want to have stories to tell, or would you rather have the regrets of not having tried? Even knowing that you did your best will leave you with a much more positive outlook.

Take action! A bodybuilder doesn't gain muscle by just thinking about lifting weights or reading weightlifting magazines. Once you know what you want, put the tangible work in to start achieving.