Commercial auto insurance boy proud converted heaven

The Ministry of finance is commercial auto insurance announced 6 days the job should be nodded 2010,Overall demand is exert oneself adjusts a countryman to take in distribute a form,Advance wealth tax system to reform,Optimize finance to support a construction.In respect of reform tax system,Point out clearly should timely publish resource duty to reform scheme,The serious content such as system of tax of perfect house property.
The Ministry of finance says,Wanted 2010 timely publish resource duty to reform scheme,Stimulative resource is managing with environmental protection;Same inside and outside endowment enterprise and duty of individual city building, education expends additional system,Fair revenue burden;System of perfect consumption tax;Do succeeding activity of transition of nice value added tax,System of farther perfect value added tax;Fulfil cost of finished product oily tax to reform each measure;Law of perfect enterprise income tax is relevant policy of form a complete set;Tax system of perfect house property is spent.
Reporter of negotiable securities newspaper discovers,The job should nod the Ministry of finance to did not involve property tax 2010,But alluded to perfect system of house property tax.The Ministry of finance before the consideration comes here director of money division institute merchant health it is OK to ever showed go out for a battle collects property tax from perfect and existing house property tax the system begins,Because this imposes a requirement in property tax,the case that still does not have falls,The instrument that house property duty will make market of estate of governmental adjusting control.
Adjusting a countryman to take in allocate format respect,The Ministry of finance puts forward clearly to want to study profit after tax of ascensive center business hands in scale,State-owned capital manages escalate limits of budgetary try out,System of policy of defray of management budget of perfect and state-owned capital,Drive a place state-owned capital management budget works.
In optimize respect of government spending structure,The Ministry of finance points out,Should support the social career such as sanitation of medical treatment of infrastructure of safeguard housing, country, education, energy-saving environmental protection and zoology construction mainly 2010,And the domain such as own innovation, structural adjustment and owe develop area.Financing arrangement basically is used at project add to build with round off,Avoid half child project,Strict control is new go up project,Prevent to repeat construction.The means that uses make known to lower levels of stripping and slicing morely to local construction project.Improve local government bond to administer means.
For support three farming build,The Ministry of finance points out clearly,The government is communal sell one own things of investment, land takes in etc should tilt to agricultural country,The dimensions benefit that capital of ascensive support agriculture uses,Build capital of perfect finance support agriculture to stabilize growth mechanism.Support builds finance of perfect rural area to serve a system,Guide rural credit to put in.Research is perfect governmental guiding, commercialize operational agriculture insurance system,Explore all alone establishs agricultural reinsurance and catastrophe venture dispersive mechanism.
Solid had done endowment insurance of new-style country society pilot,Pilot limits enlarges the county of 23% .Active and reliable advance reform of institution endowment insurance to try a drop.Relation of primary endowment insurance transfers executive town worker continue is provisional method,Consolidate company worker is basic endowment insurance is provincial as a whole system.System of perfect and unemployed insurance,Continue to do area of good the eastpart part to enlarge unemployed insurance fund defray model is surrounded pilot.Perfect further urban and rural low maintain a system,Those who build as fluctuant as prices photograph to suit is urban and rural low protect standard trends to adjust a mechanism.
To this year during two meetings wide the local government that gets attention is indebted title,The Ministry of finance expresses,Wanted tamp government debt to administer a foundation 2010,Have effect is on guard and dissolve conceal finance venture,Stimulative finance can develop continuously.Build local government and debt of company of its financing platform to administer information system and statistical report system,Strengthen accountant business accounting to administer,Progressively implementation reachs his to local government the dynamic monitoring of debt of financing platform company.Lift debt and financing of financing platform company to execute classification to administer to local government,Research builds limitation of dimensions of local government debt to administer mechanism of zephyr danger early-warning,Chase a pace to execute a budget to administer to income and expenses of local government debt.Aggrandizement is monitored to index of local external debt and wind is administered nearly.
In addition the Ministry of finance still puts forward to want to enlarge place of share of capital of industrial research and development to do poineering work investment fund is pilot.The equity that perfect stimulative enterprise innovates independently is incentive politics plan

How to save on new car insurance

If you are shopping for a new, 2010 car or truck to replace a vehicle that is several years old, you could be in for a surprise when you learn the costs of new car insurance. Protect yourself from the shocking premium before you purchase your new car.

Think body style

New car insurance can vary widely from one body style to another. For example, you may know that sports cars cost more to insure than family sedans. That general rule of thumb doesn't just apply to traditional sports cars; it also applies to the two-door versions of popular family sedans such as the coupe version of the Honda Accord. That's because people who drive these cars statistically tend to drive more aggressively than their sedan counterparts, making them a greater risk and causing their insurance rates to rise. Interestingly, convertibles tend to have lower insurance rates than their hardtop counterparts.Since bigger cars are safer, you might think that larger vehicles, like crossovers and SUVs, are cheaper to insure. This is not always the case. The largest SUVs can inflict more damage on smaller cars in a collision, which means costlier repairs, again leading to higher insurance rates.

Consider the engine and transmission

Like body style, the car's engine and transmission often can affect the insurance rate. Generally, the greater the horsepower, the higher the cost of new car insurance, even when you are considering the same car with a variety of engines. When it comes to transmissions, cars with manual transmissions are generally more costly to insure than those with automatic transmissions. An exception to this rule is the pickup, which often has a manual transmission because of its use as a work or tow truck. The reason for the higher rates again relates to the typical driver. Those behind the wheel of cars with higher horsepower and manual transmissions tend to drive more aggressively and become involved in more collisions.

Look at the brand

While body style, engine size and transmission type are all major factors in the way that rates are computed for new car insurance, rates can vary for similar, competing vehicles primarily due to their safety ratings and their likelihood of being stolen.Edmunds.com's True Cost to Own tool features average insurance rates among other ownership costs over a five-year span for all cars and trucks. Using this data to compare three sets of competing vehicles, I found it revealed insurance rates that varied widely between models.
For example, comparing similarly equipped versions of the 2010 Honda Civic and the 2010 Nissan Altima showed the Civic cost $1,615 less to insure on average over a five-year span. When comparing similarly equipped models of the 2010 Toyota Camry and the 2010 Ford Fusion, there was a difference of $859 in the Fusion's favor. When comparing the two best-selling pickups, the 2010 Ford F-150 and the 2010 Dodge Ram, both similarly equipped, the F-150 cost $592 less to insure on average over a five-year span.
Once you've narrowed your choices, call your insurance agent or use a free online quote service such as Insureme.com and supply the exact details of the makes and models you are considering to obtain insurance quotes before you make your final decision.

SOUCE:
http://www.bankrate.com/

3 Easy Steps to Buying Car Insurance

Nowadays, buying car insurance couldn’t be easier. Gone are the days when you need to drive to different car insurance providers to ask each one for a quote. Right from the comfort of your home, you can follow our 3 simple steps to purchase the best car insurance cover for an affordable price.
The first step of buying auto insurance cover consists of collecting your personal information. Most insurance companies will ask for your driver license, your license plate numbers, current insurance policy (if any) and record of any accidents or traffic offences you may have had. You will also need details of other drivers you would like to add to insurance policy.

Once the required information is available, the second step consists of using you computer to go online and start requesting a quote from different insurance providers. Instead of contacting each insurer for a quote, we have made this process simple. At Buy Car Insurance Today, you only need to use our simple for select your State or Zip Code in order to start getting auto insurance quotes for available insurers in your area. This option is provided because not all car insurance providers operate in all states. Some offer cheaper quotes than others depending on where you live.

In some cases, car insurance companies will not be able to offer you a quote. This is often because you have been involved in too many accidents or have made many insurance claims. If this is your case, we recommend contacting you state authority for car insurance guidance. They will be able to advice you on car insurance providers willing to insurance high risk drivers.

After shopping around, you should be able to find competitive car insurance quotes from different providers. Many auto insurance consumers reported saving of over $500 on their first online insurance policy. This is because insurance providers offer discount for new customers in attempt to gain repeated business.

The third and final step is comparing the quotes while weighting your particular needs for your car insurance cover. Each insurance policy differs on the level of cover and costs involved. The insurance provider who offers the cheapest car insurance quote for the best cover should be the one you should pick and research. From that point, you can search the internet to find read user reviews, quality of service and claim process. If you are happy with feedback and reviews on your chosen insurance providers, your decision to purchase auto insurance should put your mind at ease for a while. At least, until you decide to buy or renew your car insurance policy. 

source:

http://www.buycarinsurancetoday.com/car-insurance-articles/easy-steps-to-buying-car-insurance.html

Choosing the Right Car Insurance Cover

Shopping for car insurance requires taking into account many factors in order to achieve the right balance between the insurance cover you should have and the cheapest premium available. Buying a cost-effective insurance start with determining exactly what coverage you need and how much you are willing to spend on your car insurance.

Get the Right Coverage for your Car

If you happen to be driving an old car with a cheap replacement or repair value, it may help reduce you premium if you reduce your collision coverage. The downside to this is if you happen to be involved in accident causing damage to your car, your insurance provider will not cover the costs of repair or replacing your car. You should only do this if you are willing to pay for the entire cost of damages to your car after an accident.

Reduce your Deductibles

Another important factor that controls how much you pay for your insurance premium is the amount of deductibles you choose. The higher you are willing to pay in case of an accident, the more likely it will reduce you premium. Often it’s case if adjusting the deductibles among other features to get the best protection for the cheapest cost.

Liability coverage adjustment should be approached with utmost care. Injuring or killing someone is the biggest risk and payout you are likely to face while on the road. We recommend you have more than the limit required by law for your state. Many drivers aren't aware of various costs involved hitting someone on the road. If you are found to be liable after an accident and the insurance claim exceeds the coverage limit in your insurance policy, any other costs will need to come out from your pocket.

Insuring Against Uninsured or Underinsured Drivers

Everyone knows that automobile insurance is required by law in all US states. However, there are thousands of uninsured or under insured drivers on the road. Whether it’s ignorance, carelessness or simply being unaware, many drivers run the risk of being involved in an accident with uninsured or underinsured driver. Therefore, it important to check if you have uninsured or underinsured motorists’ coverage and if you can increase this cover. If the event you are involved in an accident with a driver who doesn't have a car insurance or their insurance cover is not sufficient, your insurance company will step up and cover any additional costs.

Medical Insurance in your Automobile Insurance Policy

Medical insurance cover is optional in some states and often not required, especially if you have an existing insurance policy in place for this purpose. After all, you don’t want to pay for the same cover twice. However, if you often have family, friends or business partners in your car, it’s worth checking that you have the right medical coverage for your car as it would cover injuries to all passengers in the event of an accident. Family members usually claim under your health or medical insurance policy, but people outside your family will have to take you to court for negligence to claim any liability insurance. This can be very expensive and may even make you bankrupt if your insurer is not covering these costs.

What is the Car Used for?

Purpose of car usage is another factor that determines if you insurance company will cover damages in case of an accident. A vehicle that has been insured by your wife’s employer for business purposes will not be covered if it was involved in an accident while being driven for personal purpose, such as going on vacation.

Conclusion

There are many factors that need to be taking into account when purchasing the right insurance. Understanding what you must have in your insurance policy, ensures you know what coverage you need and will help you make a better decision with comparing quotes from different insurance providers.

Travel Insurance Tips

Savvy holidaymakers will shop around to make sizeable savings on flights, package holidays and accommodation. However, many of them overlook travel insurance (also known as 'holiday insurance') and simply accept it as an add-on. This is an expensive mistake because some travel agents in the UK can make more profit from selling travel insurance policies than they do from the holidays themselves.
This money saving article will examine how you can save cash on your travel insurance - whether you should choose an annual or single-trip policy, where to go for cheap travel insurance and more.

What do you need to cover?
Before you think about what you need to cover you might ask - 'do I need cover at all'?
Though travel insurance is not mandatory, it is advisable to take out a policy as complaints about lost baggage are a common occurrence and medical bills in foreign countries can be astronomical for non-citizens. Medical claims are frequent with a third of UK tourists suffering from 'Delhi belly' while abroad according to Halifax, with almost two out of five travellers sick for two or more days losing around £42.42 per person a day off the cost of their holiday. If you're going to a country with poor medical facilities, ensure your policy includes repatriation costs.
The levels of cover available vary greatly and there's no point paying for something you don't need. Consequently here is our recommendation for the level of cover you should take out on a typical travel insurance policy:

• Medical expenses (£2m)
• Personal liability (£1m)
• Cancellation (£3,000)
• Baggage (£1,500)
• Cash (£250)
• Also make sure the travel insurance company has a 24hr emergency line and cover for legal costs.

Bear in mind however, that the amount of cover you need depends on your circumstances. For example, if you are taking a low cost flight for less than £50 is there really any point in securing cancellation cover? By the time you have paid off the excess you might only be claiming back £10. Additionally, be wary of ridiculous amounts of medical expenses cover - some will offer as much as £20m, when £2m is nearly always adequate.
It's also important to take out travel insurance as soon as you book your trip - particularly with the cancellation stipulation in mind. If you book your holiday months in advance but plan to wait until the last minute to secure your insurance then you won't be covered if you are forced to make a cancellation - perhaps due to a family bereavement or illness. So book your travel insurance to start immediately after booking your holiday to give yourself peace of mind and make sure your cancellation cover at least matches the cost of your holiday.
Also pay close attention to baggage cover. Typically a policy will cover around £1,500-£2,000 for lost baggage, which is nearly always sufficient. However, many policies have single-item limits, usually ranging from £200-£300, and there may be an excess to pay in the region of £50-£70. According to Age Concern Insurance Services, around a third of Brits don't bother to check the terms and conditions of their policy - so ensure you read the small print thoroughly and look for any notable exclusions.

10 Tips to Reduce Car Insurance Premium

Insurance of your vehicle is one of the most expensive parts of owning a car. Sometimes, people end up paying more for car insurance than the value of the car, which is unreasonable. Here are some tips to reduce the premium of your car insurance:

Tip #1. Try to get quotes from as many companies as possible. It is easiest way to spot the best deals.

Tip #2. Try to have more than one insurance policy with same insurance company. Try insuring your car with the company that insures your house. It is likely that they will offer you a discount on one of the policies.

Tip #3. If there is a second car in your family, then you stand a chance of getting a discount. It is known as the second car on the motor quotation.

Tip #4. Choice of the car also affects the insurance premium. The make and model of the car, the engine size, its age and value are used to calculate insurance quotes. To keep car insurance premiums to a minimum, choose a small car that has low modifications and a small engine.

Tip #5. Car modifications should be kept to a minimum. They affect the premium to some extent. Modifications that enhance the security of the car such as alarms reduce the premium.

Tip #6. Keep your car parked safely in a garage. It reduces the risk of theft and the insurance premium significantly.

Tip #7. The deductible is the amount of money that you need to pay before your insurance company steps in to pay the rest. You can offer to pay a higher deductible and save a lot of money in the process. By offering to pay an excess, you reduce the risk associated with you. This way, you only pay for small damages and your company pays for the big ones.

Tip #8. A no claims bonus is an effective way of reducing insurance premium. You need to have your own car insurance policy before you can claim a no claims discount.

Tip #9. Women are considered safer drivers than men. Thus, some insurance companies offer cheaper car insurance to women. If your car is used equally by a male and a female family member, then you can get the insurance in the woman's name. Also, it is advisable to young drivers to add the names of older and more experienced drivers to their car insurance.

Tip #10. Even if you are happy with your car insurance company, it is better to check offers of other companies every year before you renew your insurance.

Car Insurance Secrets Revealed

The importance of having a car insurance policy cannot be undermined. The soaring cost auto insurance can make you apprehensive about opting for car insurance. However, by being aware of some secret tips pertaining to insurance policies, you can definitely get good car insurance at a cheap price.

Some of the auto insurance secret tips are:

1. A Poor Driving Record Can Cost You:

If you do not have a good driving record, you may have to pay a relatively high amount of premium on your insurance. As per the industry standards, your premium rate is increased by 40% after your first case of accident (minor or major).

Tip:

You need to know that not all car insurance companies follow this policy. It is advisable to verify whether your insurance provider follows this rule. If it does, inquire in advance about the rates applied for bad driving record. However, having a good driving record is always beneficial.

2. The Make and Model of Your Vehicle

Auto insurance companies have a rating system, usually designed by the Car Insurance Services Office, for different types of car models. This system is based on different factors such as the vehicle's cost and its safety features.

Tip:

You can consider purchasing a car model, which can get discounts on car insurance rates. Based on your car model, auto insurance companies will offer you attractive discounts.

3. Your Car Real Value can Affect your Insurance Rates

Every car insurance company has its own list of car values. They can even contact your local car dealer to find the value of the car.

Tip:

If you do not wish to agree with the car insurance company's value system, you can consider opting for gap insurance.

4. Your Credit Reports

Your car insurer can request your credit reports to check your credit history, which they may use to prepare your insurance score. A good credit history can get you cheap car insurance, whereas a poor credit history may spell doom for your insurance prospects.

Tip:

If you don't have a decent credit history, it will be better to avoid opting for insurance till your credit history regains normalcy. Later on, you can avail car insurance at a discount price.

Besides these tips, it is also advised to officially cancel your insurance policy if you wish to switch car insurers.

source:

http://www.buycarinsurancetoday.com/car-insurance-articles/car-insurance-secrets-revealed.html

phil heath Kai Greene Branch Warren after the 2009 Mr Olympia video phil heath met rx

phil heath

video of phil heath Kai Greene and Branch Warren after the 2009 Mr Olympia, phil heath was unlucky at the 2009 mr olympia due to some illness going into the mr olympia bodybuilding contest.

but aspect to see phil heath pushing for the 2010 mr olympia title and in much better condition then the 2009 mr olympia contest.

phil heath is wearing a met rx t-shirt in the video not sure if phil heath is still sponsored by met rx or not now.

Saturated Fat and Insulin Sensitivity

Insulin sensitivity is a measure of the tissue response to insulin. Typically, it refers to insulin's ability to cause tissues to absorb glucose from the blood. A loss of insulin sensitivity, also called insulin resistance, is a core part of the metabolic disorder that affects many people in industrial nations.

I don't know how many times I've seen the claim in journal articles and on the internet that saturated fat reduces insulin sensitivity. The idea is that saturated fat reduces the body's ability to handle glucose effectively, placing people on the road to diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Given the "selective citation disorder" that plagues the diet-health literature, perhaps this particular claim deserves a closer look.

The Evidence

I found a review article from 2008 that addressed this question (1). I like this review because it only includes high-quality trials that used reliable methods of determining insulin sensitivity*.

On to the meat of it. There were 5 studies in which non-diabetic people were fed diets rich in saturated fat, and compared with a group eating a diet rich in monounsaturated (like olive oil) or polyunsaturated (like corn oil) fat. They ranged in duration from one week to 3 months. Four of the five studies found that fat quality did not affect insulin sensitivity, including one of the 3-month studies.

The fifth study, which is the one that's nearly always cited in the diet-health literature, requires some discussion. This was the KANWU study (2). Over the course of three months, investigators fed 163 volunteers a diet rich in either saturated fat or monounsaturated fat.

The SAFA diet included butter and a table margarine containing a relatively high proportion of SAFAs. The MUFA diet included a spread and a margarine containing high proportions of oleic acid derived from high-oleic sunflower oil and negligible amounts of trans fatty acids and n-3 fatty acids and olive oil.

Yummy. After three months of these diets, there was no significant difference in insulin sensitivity between the saturated fat group and the monounsaturated fat group. Yes, you read that right. Even the study that's selectively cited as evidence that saturated fat causes insulin resistance found no significant difference between the diets. You might not get this by reading the misleading abstract. I'll be generous and acknowledge that the (small) difference was almost statistically significant (p = 0.053).

What the authors decided to focus on instead is the fact that insulin sensitivity declined slightly but significantly on the saturated fat diet compared with the pre-diet baseline. That's why this study is cited as evidence that saturated fat impairs insulin sensitivity. But anyone who has a basic science background will see where this reasoning is flawed (warning: nerd attack. skip the rest of the paragraph if you're not interested). You need a control group for comparison, to take into account normal fluctuations caused by such things as the season, eating mostly cafeteria food, and having a doctor hooking you up to machines. That control group was the group eating monounsaturated fat. The comparison between diet groups was the 'primary outcome', in statistics lingo. That's the comparison that matters, and it wasn't significant. To interpret the study otherwise is to ignore the basic conventions of statistics, which the authors were happy to do. There's a name for it: 'moving the goalpost'. The reviewers shouldn't have let this kind of shenanigans slide.

So we have five studies through 2008, none of which support the idea that saturated fat reduces insulin sensitivity in non-diabetics. Since the review paper was published, I know of one subsequent study that asked the same question (3). Susan J. van Dijk and colleagues fed volunteers with abdominal overweight (beer gut) a diet rich in either saturated fat or monounsaturated fat. I e-mailed the senior author and she said the saturated fat diet was "mostly butter". The specific fats used in the diets weren't mentioned anywhere in the paper, which is a major omission**. In any case, after 8 weeks, insulin sensitivity was virtually identical between the two groups. This study appeared well controlled and used the gold standard method for assessing insulin sensitivity, called the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp technique***.

The evidence from controlled trials is rather consistent that saturated fat has no appreciable effect on insulin sensitivity.

Why Are We so Focused on Saturated Fat?

Answer: because it's the nutrient everyone loves to hate. As an exercise in completeness, I'm going to mention three dietary factors that actually reduce insulin sensitivity, and get a lot less air time than saturated fat.

#1: Caffeine. That's right, controlled trials show that your favorite murky beverage reduces insulin sensitivity (4, 5). Is it actually relevant to real life? I doubt it. The doses used were large and the studies short-term.

#2: Magnesium deficiency. A low-magnesium diet reduced insulin sensitivity by 25% over the course of three weeks (6). I think this is probably relevant to long-term insulin sensitivity and overall health, although it would be good to have longer-term data. Magnesium deficiency is widespread in industrial nations, due to our over-reliance on refined foods such as sugar, white flour and oils.

#3: Sugar. Fructose reduces insulin sensitivity in humans, along with many other harmful effects (7).

As long as we continue to focus our energy on indicting saturated fat, it will continue distracting us from the real causes of disease.


* For the nerds: euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (the gold standard), insulin suppression test, or intravenous glucose tolerance test with Minimal Model. They didn't include studies that reported HOMA as their only measure, because it's not very accurate.

** There's this idea that pervades the diet-health literature that all saturated fats are roughly equivalent, all monounsaturated fats are equivalent, etc., therefore it doesn't matter what the source was. This is beyond absurd and reflects our cultural obsession with saturated fat. It really irks me that the reviewers didn't demand this information.

*** They did find that markers of inflammation in fat tissue were higher after the saturated fat diet.

Malocclusion: Disease of Civilization, Part IX

A Summary

For those who didn't want to wade through the entire nerd safari, I offer a simple summary.

Our ancestors had straight teeth, and their wisdom teeth came in without any problem. The same continues to be true of a few non-industrial cultures today, but it's becoming rare. Wild animals also rarely suffer from orthodontic problems.

Today, the majority of people in the US and other affluent nations have some type of malocclusion, whether it's crooked teeth, overbite, open bite or a number of other possibilities.

There are three main factors that I believe contribute to malocclusion in modern societies:

1. Maternal nutrition during the first trimester of pregnancy. Vitamin K2, found in organs, pastured dairy and eggs, is particularly important. We may also make small amounts from the K1 found in green vegetables.
2. Sucking habits from birth to age four. Breast feeding protects against malocclusion. Bottle feeding, pacifiers and finger sucking probably increase the risk of malocclusion. Cup feeding and orthodontic pacifiers are probably acceptable alternatives.
3. Food toughness. The jaws probably require stress from tough food to develop correctly. This can contribute to the widening of the dental arch until roughly age 17. Beef jerky, raw vegetables, raw fruit, tough cuts of meat and nuts are all good ways to exercise the jaws.
   

And now, an example from the dental literature to motivate you. In 1976, Dr. H. L. Eirew published an interesting paper in the British Dental Journal. He took two 12-year old identical twins, with identical class I malocclusions (crowded incisors), and gave them two different orthodontic treatments. Here's a picture of both girls before the treatment:


In one, he made more space in her jaws by extracting teeth. In the other, he put in an apparatus that broadened her dental arch, which roughly mimics the natural process of arch growth during childhood and adolescence. This had profound effects on the girls' subsequent occlusion and facial structure:

The girl on the left had teeth extracted, while the girl on the right had her arch broadened. Under ideal circumstances, this is what should happen naturally during development. Notice any differences?

Thanks to the Weston A Price foundation's recent newsletter for the study reference.

Magnesium and Insulin Sensitivity

From a paper based on US NHANES nutrition and health survey data (1):

During 1999–2000, the diet of a large proportion of the U.S. population did not contain adequate magnesium... Furthermore, racial or ethnic differences in magnesium persist and may contribute to some health disparities.... Because magnesium intake is low among many people in the United States and inadequate magnesium status is associated with increased risk of acute and chronic conditions, an urgent need exists to perform a current survey to assess the physiologic status of magnesium in the U.S. population.

Magnesium is an essential mineral that's slowly disappearing from the modern diet, as industrial agriculture and industrial food processing increasingly dominate our food choices. One of the many things it's necessary for in mammals is proper insulin sensitivity and glucose control. A loss of glucose control due to insulin resistance can eventually lead to diabetes and all its complications.

Magnesium status is associated with insulin sensitivity (2, 3), and a low magnesium intake predicts the development of type II diabetes in most studies (4, 5) but not all (6). Magnesium supplements largely prevent diabetes in a rat model* (7). Interestingly, excess blood glucose and insulin themselves seem to reduce magnesium status, possibly creating a vicious cycle.

In a 1993 trial, a low-magnesium diet reduced insulin sensitivity in healthy volunteers by 25% in just four weeks (8). It also increased urinary thromboxane concentration, a potential concern for cardiovascular health**.

At least three trials have shown that magnesium supplementation increases insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant diabetics and non-diabetics (9, 10, 11). In some cases, the results were remarkable. In type II diabetics, 16 weeks of magnesium supplementation improved fasting glucose, calculated insulin sensitivity and HbA1c*** (12). HbA1c dropped by 22 percent.

In insulin resistant volunteers with low blood magnesium, magnesium supplementation for four months reduced estimated insulin resistance by 43 percent and decreased fasting insulin by 32 percent (13). This suggests to me that magnesium deficiency was probably one of the main reasons they were insulin resistant in the first place. But the study had another very interesting finding: magnesium improved the subjects' blood lipid profile remarkably. Total cholesterol decreased, LDL decreased, HDL increased and triglycerides decreased by a whopping 39 percent. The same thing had been reported in the medical literature decades earlier when doctors used magnesium injections to treat heart disease, and also in animals treated with magnesium. Magnesium supplementation also suppresses atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of the arteries) in animal models, a fact that I may discuss in more detail at some point (14, 15).

In the previous study, participants were given 2.5 g magnesium chloride (MgCl2) per day. That's a bit more than the USDA recommended daily allowance (MgCl2 is mostly chloride by weight), in addition to what they were already getting from their diet. Most of a person's magnesium is in their bones, so correcting a deficiency by eating a nutritious diet may take a while.

Speaking of nutritious diets, how does one get magnesium? Good sources include halibut, leafy greens, chocolate and nuts. Bone broths are also an excellent source of highly absorbable magnesium. Whole grains and beans are also fairly good sources, while refined grains lack most of the magnesium in the whole grain. Organic foods, particularly artisanally produced foods from a farmer's market, are richer in magnesium because they grow on better soil and often use older varieties that are more nutritious.

The problem with seeds such as grains, beans and nuts is that they also contain phytic acid which prevents the absorption of magnesium and other minerals (16). Healthy non-industrial societies that relied on grains took great care in their preparation: they soaked them, often fermented them, and also frequently removed a portion of the bran before cooking (17). These steps all served to reduce the level of phytic acid and other anti-nutrients. I've posted a method for effectively reducing the amount of phytic acid in brown rice (18). Beans should ideally be soaked for 24 hours before cooking, preferably in warm water.

Industrial agriculture has systematically depleted our soil of many minerals, due to high-yield crop varieties and the fact that synthetic fertilizers only replace a few minerals. The mineral content of foods in the US, including magnesium, has dropped sharply in the last 50 years. The reason we need to use fertilizers in the first place is that we've broken the natural nutrient cycle in which minerals always return to the soil in the same place they were removed. In 21st century America, minerals are removed from the soil, pass through our toilets, and end up in the landfill or in waste water. This will continue until we find an acceptable way to return human feces and urine to agricultural soil, as many cultures do to this day****.

I believe that an adequate magnesium intake is critical for proper insulin sensitivity and overall health.


* Zucker rats that lack leptin signaling

** Thromboxane A2 is an omega-6 derived eicosanoid that potently constricts blood vessels and promotes blood clotting. It's interesting that magnesium has such a strong effect on it. It indicates that fatty acid balance is not the only major influence on eicosanoid production.

*** Glycated hemoglobin. A measure of the average blood glucose level over the past few weeks.

**** Anyone interested in further reading on this should look up The Humanure Handbook

It's Official: Texting while Driving is Illegal in MA

Starting today, September 30th, drivers who are caught texting behind the wheel in Massachusetts will be pulled over and face hefty fines as the state joins the nationwide push to limit distracted driving. WCVB reports that the new law also prohibits scanning the Internet on a phone or mobile device while driving and bans anyone under 18 from talking on a cell phone while driving. Violators will face fines ranging from $100 for a first offense and up to $500 for repeat offenses. The ban still applies when drivers are at a stoplight.

Gov. Deval Patrick signed the bill into law earlier this year and said it should help make roads in the state safer. "Driving while texting or using a cell phone carelessly is seriously unsafe," Patrick said in a statement. "This law means police are going to take it seriously." Last year, almost 6,000 people were killed in crashes on U.S. roadways that were reported to have involved distracted driving. In Massachusetts, there were 400 crashes in 2008 where cell phones were reported to be a contributing factor, according to the state.

The Registry of Motor Vehicles and the AAA are working to warn drivers about the texting ban. The RMV has advised drivers about the new law through eight large digital billboards on highways across the state and has posted similar information on electronic road signs. Posters are also being put up at RMV branches and MBTA stations. AAA has produced two public service announcements and is sending e-mails about the new law to its more than 2 million members in Massachusetts. "Texting is the great triple threat, the most dangerous of distractions," said Mark Shaw, AAA Southern New England President and CEO. "It takes our eyes off the road, our hands off the wheel and our mental focus off our driving."

For more on the WCVB article and information about the new law, visit their website.

Study: Texting ban may cause more crashes

On Thursday September 30th, 2010 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will join 28 other states in banning texting while driving. Later this year and in early 2011, Wisconsin and Delaware will make the 29th and 30th states.

Although states are putting a ban on texting while driving, a new study came out today that claims the laws may not be doing much. According to an ABCNews report, texting while driving may be very dangerous, but state laws banning the activity are not reducing the number of auto crashes. Researchers at the Highway Loss Data Institute reported today they found no reduction in car collisions after texting-while-driving laws took effect. The researchers calculated rates of collision claims for vehicles in California, Louisiana, Minnesota and Washington, immediately before and immediately after those states banned texting while driving. Not only did the researchers find that crashes did not decrease after texting bans, they found that in three states, crashes actually increased slightly.

For more information regarding the changes in the law, log onto the MassDOT website.

Registry Changes for September

The month of September is seeing a lot of registry changes. Below are changes that take effect before the end of the month:

Three Surchargeable Events Suspension:
Effective September 30, 2010, three surchargeable events in a two-year period may cause a license suspension. A surchargeable event is a motor vehicle violation or an at-fault accident. If you get a third surchargeable event, you must complete a Driver Retraining Course within 90 days of the date of the notification you receive from the RMV. If you do not, your license will be suspended. You must complete the course each time you get a third surchargeable event within two years. It does not matter if you have already taken the course. See the Surchargeable Events section on page 46 of the Driver’s Manual for more information.

Required In-Person Renewals for Operators Over 75:
Effective September 30, 2010, operators 75 years of age or older can only renew a driver’s license at an RMV branch. The operator must either pass a vision test or present a completed Vision Screening Certificate.

Duplicate Title Online:
Effective September 22, 2010, a request for Duplicate Title online transaction will be available in the RMV’s Online Branch section of the Internet. Vehicle owners will now be able to request a duplicate title online. The request will be processed in Real Time, which means that it will be processed immediately in ALARS. To request a duplicate title, the owner must provide the following information: Valid e-mail address, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or Title Number, Owner’s Driver’s License Number or FID/EIN Number and valid payment information.

For more information, visit the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicle website.

Divorce Insurance: Get Unhitched, Get a Payout

All over the internet there have been articles, blogs and editorials about the new widely talked about form of insurance; divorce insurance. An article from the September 13th issue of TIME Magazine explains how divorce insurance is on the rise. WedLock, as it's coyly named, is a new type of casualty insurance that gives the unhappily married policyholder a payout after he or she is unhitched. It costs about $16 a month for every $1,250 of coverage. But to discourage people from signing up just prior to their divorce, policyholders must ante up for four years before the policy will pay out. It adds a premium of $250 per unit for every year the marriage survives beyond four. So if a policyholder who bought 10 units got divorced after 10 years, he or she would have handed over $19,188 and would receive a payout of $27,500. It's probably not worth getting divorced for, but the lump sum might salve some wounds, whether through lawyers or vacations.

The idea bubbled up from the bottom of a financial pit. After John Logan watched his wealth follow his marriage down the drain, the Kernersville, N.C., entrepreneur figured there must be a market for those who want to hedge their marital bets. He won't reveal how many policies he's sold since the Aug. 5 launch of WedLockDivorceInsurance.com. But he's surprised at how much insurance his customers are buying: some of the premiums are more than $1,000 a month.

To learn more about divorce insurance or to read the entrire article, visit TIME Magazine's website.

Social Networking to Increase Insurance?

An article from ITWORLD thinks it could. The article states that social networkers who use location-based services such as Facebook Places should expect to see their home insurance premiums rise, says Confused.com. The online insurance firm, which predicted earlier this year using social networks could plead to hikes in insurance premiums, issued the warning after a burglary scam in the US saw 50 homes broken into and $100,000 worth of goods stolen.

The criminals used Facebook to monitor when web users 'checked in' to places on the social network, highlighting the fact they were away from home, and then targeted the empty properties. Confused.com also urged web users not to post home addresses or personal information on social networks, as well as turning-off location-based services and only 'following' or connecting with people you know.

For more information, read the full article here.

Glitch Delays RMV Branch Openings

WCVB-TV is reporting that the state Department of Transportation said it had to delay the opening of several of its Registry of Motor Vehicle branches until 10 a.m. Thursday because of a mainframe hardware failure within the state's Information Technology Division. Because of the breakdown, the RMV said it wasn't able to conduct system maintenance and updates and process transactions through its database which are normally run overnight.

This work must be completed before the database can be accessed for processing new transactions, the RMV said. "This is a problem that surfaced in the middle of the night which ITD immediately addressed. However, it will take at least until 10 a.m. for our database to catch up so we can begin processing transactions," said Registrar Rachel Kaprielian. "We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience this presents."

Even with some branches closed this morning, customers were still able to do some transactions online by visiting http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/rmv/.

New MA Safe Driving Law

Starting September 30, 2010, The Safe Driving Law becomes effective in Massachusetts. The law creates a series of new violations, which the RMV Division, MassDOT IT staff and the Merit Rating Board are working to program and implement.



These new violations include:

1. Use of a Mobile Phone by a Junior Operator

Civil Offense- No insurance surcharge (Reporting an emergency is the only exception. Drivers are encouraged to pull over and stop the vehicle to report the emergency.)

1st offense-$100 assessment 60-day license suspension and attitudinal course

2nd offense-$250 assessment 180-day suspension

3rd or subsequent offense-$500 assessment 1-year suspension

$100 reinstatement fee for any suspension

Knowledge and road test required for reinstatement



2. Use of a Mobile Phone by a Public Transport Motor Vehicle Operator Civil Offense- No insurance surcharge-$500 assessment each offense

3. Use of a Mobile Phone by a Public Transport Non-Motor Vehicle Operator Civil Offense- No insurance surcharge (MBTA Trolley), $500 assessment each violation



4. Improper Use of a Mobile Phone by Operators 18 and Over Civil Offense- No insurance surcharge (One hand must be on the steering wheel at all times and no use of device can interfere with driving)

1st offense-$35 assessment

2nd offense in 12 months-$75 assessment

3rd offense in 12 months-$150 assessment



5. Sending/Reading Text Messages Civil Offense- No insurance surcharge

(Operators cannot use any mobile electronic device to write, send, or read an electronic message including text messages, emails, instant messages or accessing the internet while operating a vehicle. Mobile electronic device includes mobile telephone, text messaging device, paging device, PDA, laptop computer, electronic equipment capable of playing video games or video disks or can take/transmit digital photographs or can receive a television broadcast. Mobile Device does not include any equipment permanently or temporarily installed to provide navigation, emergency assistance or rear seat video entertainment. Law applies even if the vehicle is stopped in traffic.)

1st offense-$100 assessment

2nd offense-$250 assessment

3rd or subsequent offense-$500 assessment



6. Negligent Operation & Injury from Mobile Phone Use Criminal Offense- Insurance surcharge

JOL Suspensions:

1st offense-180-day suspension

2nd or subsequent offense within 3 years-1 year suspension

$100 reinstatement fee

Over-18 suspensions:

1st offense-60-day suspension

2nd or subsequent offense within 3 years-1 year suspension

$100 reinstatement fee

Additional Suspensions



The law repeals the current suspension for 5-surchargeable incidents in a 3-year period and replaces it with a new suspension for 3 surchargeable incidents in 2 years. Only violations with an incident date on or after 9/30/2010 can be factored into the new suspension calculation. However, older violations will still be considered a basis for operators that accrue 7 surchargeable incidents. Similar to the current suspension process for 5 surchargeable incidents, operators will have 90 days from the suspension notice to complete a National Safety Council course to avoid going into suspension.



EXAMPLE: An operator receives a citation on October 1, 2010 and is cited for 3 offenses on the ticket: speeding, failure to yield, and a marked lane violation. Under the new law, this driver will receive a notice that they must complete the NSC course in 90 days or have his/her license suspended until completion of the class.



Elder Driving Provisions:

License applicants, either for initial licensure in Massachusetts or license renewal, age 75 and older must conduct the transaction in a RMV office. Use of the Internet for license renewals will no longer be allowed for these applicants. All applicants, regardless of age, that obtain or renew a license in a branch office are required to undergo the RMV vision test that is given to all drivers or provide a vision screening certificate from an appropriate health care provider to complete the transaction.

For more information regarding the Safe Driving Law, please visit the MassDOT website.

MassDOT Registry Website

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Registry of Motor Vehicles website is more helpful than ever before! By visiting the website, you can save a trip to the RMV if you're looking to renew your license or registration, schedule a road test, change your address or pay a citation. You can also enter your zip code to find the closest RMV and the wait time. For more information, visit their website!

Hurricane Myths That Aren't Mythical

With Hurricane Earl suspected to touch down in New England Friday, WCVB TV has posted some helpful links for learning more about what to do in case a hurricane hits us. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shares these five myths about hurricane’s that people need to know aren’t mythical.

1. The area is under evacuation order but the weather looks great right now, so people should wait until the weather gets bad before they evacuate.
This can be one of the most dangerous decisions you can make. Evacuation orders are based on the best available information and are issued early enough to provide people with time to get to shelter. Waiting until the last minute can leave you with no escape if the storm does not behave according to forecast.

2. Only coastal areas are at risk from hurricanes.
A hurricane is not just a coastal event. The strong winds, heavy rains, tornadoes and inland flooding from weakening tropical systems can spread well inland and cause tremendous damage. For example, in 2001, heavy rainfall produced by Tropical Storm Allison caused catastrophic floods in Houston, Texas. FEMA estimated that the damages in the Houston area reached approximately $4.8 billion.

3. Winds from a hurricane can not be that much worse than winds from a summer thunderstorm.
While summer thunderstorms can produce wind gusts of more 60 miles per hour, the winds of a major hurricane can reach more than twice that speed and will be sustained for hours, much longer than a thunderstorm. Each time wind speed is doubled, the wind force increases by a factor of four. Also, minimum hurricane strength winds of 74 mph can drive a piece of 2x4 lumber through a reinforced concrete wall four inches thick.

4. The storm surge is only going to be 15 to 20 feet at worst. My condo is on the upper floor. I’m riding out the storm there.
Vertical evacuation, or escaping the rising storm surge by going to the upper stories of a building, is not always a good idea. Wind speeds increase the higher you get, so you are evacuating into a more dangerous place. Also, the high winds and water make getting help to you harder once the storm is over.

5. Why prepare for a big hurricane? When it comes, my house will be destroyed anyways.
While a hurricane’s winds can destroy even the most solidly built structures, taking some basic precautions can significantly reduce damage from a storm. Shuttering windows, bracing garage and entry doors and bringing in yard items can be the difference between destruction and minor damage.

Learn the Basics for Preparing for a Storm

With all the buzz around Hurricane Earl fastly approaching New England, these basic tips for preparing for a storm may come in handy:

• If you live in a mobile home, check the tie-downs and leave immediately.
• Prepare for high winds by anchoring securely or bringing indoors anything that might blow away or be torn loose: Garbage cans, garden tools, signs, lawn furniture, awnings and toys. Loose objects can be deadly in hurricane winds.
• Board-up or shutter large windows. When you board-up, use good lumber securely fastened. Makeshift boarding may do more damage than good. Have strong bracing for outside doors.
• Boats on trailers: Fill with water, secure to trailer and use tiedowns to anchor trailer to ground or house.
• Get away from low-lying beaches or other locations which may be swept by high tides or storm waves. If passage to high ground is over a road likely to be under water, leave early. Don't run the risk of being marooned. On the coast, damage is from water, lots of it, and storm conditions may continue for many hours.
• Add extra chlorine to swimming pool to prevent contamination, and lower the pool's water level to allow for increased rainfall.

For more helpful information about hurricanes and preparing for them, visit WCVB TV website. (Above information provided by WCVB TV)

10 Ways to Save on Your Homeowners Insurance

1. Shop Around
As it sounds, it is best to look at several different insurance companies to find competitive prices. A good way to do this is to find an insurance agent to do the shopping for you.

2. Senior Discounts
If you are 55 or older and retired you may find certain insurance companies willing to discount you. Seniors tend to spend more time at home allowing for more time for maintenance and the ability to spot any fires sooner than a working individual. A senior discount can be as much as 10 percent.

3. Stop Smoking
Believe it or not, smoking mishaps account for almost 23,000 residential fires annually. Some insurance companies offer lower premiums if your home is smoke free.

4. Combine Your Home and Auto Policies
By buying both policies from the same insurance company, you may be able to get a multi-line discount. This is one of the more substantial discounts you can get for your insurance.

5. Improve Your Home’s Security
By adding such improvements to your home as a deadbolt lock, a burglar alarm, or smoke detectors, you can receive from some insurance companies up to $5.00 an improvement. Some companies even offer up to 15 to 20 percent for an added home security system.

6. Group Coverage
Larger employers and business associations often work out discounted prices and deals with the insurance companies for their employees and members. Check with your employer or association to see if they qualify.

7. Maintain Your Credit
Some insurance companies, in states it is permitted, check a person’s credit history to assess the “risk” and adjust the premium prices accordingly. Keep your credit in good condition and this may help you.

8. Check Your Coverage Every Year
Before renewing a policy, it is good to check your coverage against your current assets. For example, if you recently sold a valuable item you would want that to be reflected in the amount of property coverage you have. Also, if you were to put in an addition, you may wish to up your dwelling coverage.

9. Consider Insurance When Purchasing a Home
When you are thinking of buying a home, consider your insurance. For instance, if you buy an older home the heating, electric, etc are probably more outdated and therefore the insurance would be more. A newer home has new systems and therefore, would allow for a lower premium. Also, if you are thinking of building or buying a home, think of the area in which you wish to live. If you are on the Atlantic coast for example, you would want to think of the other insurance costs you would have, i.e. wind damage. The Pacific coast you would need to worry about the extra cost of earthquake insurance as these calamities are not covered under most home insurance policies.

10. Skip Insuring Your Land; Insure Only Your Home
Your home is at risk of various disasters such as fire, theft, etc. but the land it’s on is not at such risk. Do not include the value of the land your house sits on when determining coverages and this will help you save.

Be sure to check with your current or soon to be insurance company to see if they offer the discounts you are looking to receive. Visit http://www.candsins.com/ today!

Buying or Leasing a New Car

The other day at C & S Insurance Agency, we had a new customer come in to the office to register their new car! They told us that the car dealership had offered them gap insurance for $595. We told them that we can offer it for just $25!

You may be asking yourself "what is GAP insurance?" Well, GAP insurance can provide valuable protection during the early years of your car's life if you have a loan or a lease. If a loss occurs, GAP insurance will pay the difference between the actual cash value of the vehicle and the current outstanding balance on your loan or lease. Gap Insurance protects your vehicle lease or loan. Sometimes it will also pay your regular insurance deductible.

If you're buying or leasing a new car and are in need of GAP insurance, contact C & S Insurance today!

We want YOU to win Red Sox Tickets!

Refer your friends to Cavallo and Signoriello Insurance Agency for your chance to win Sox tickets! For every referral, with email and phone contact information provided, you and your referral will be entered into a drawing for Boston Red Sox tickets! The winner of this drawing will receive two tickets to a game this season! Good luck!

For more information, visit our website.

It's almost impossible to live without health insurance these days

With the rising costs of health care, some people are finding it difficult to find affordable coverage. Whether your employer does not offer health coverage, or you are self employed, you may find yourself in a position where you need to seek your own health insurance policy.

Health insurance policies most often provide coverage for:
•Doctors visits
•Prescriptions
•Medical Testing
•Specialized care
•Surgical procedures

Although every health insurance policy is different, typically you can work with your insurance agent to create a policy that best suits your lifestyle and needs. It is important to consider your financial situation AND the health of you and your family members when creating a health insurance policy. Most insurance agents can offer you two types of health care coverage:

Indemnity Plans (or Fee-for services plans)
•Cafeteria/Flexible Spending Plans
•Indemnity Health Plans
•Basic & Essential Health Plans
•High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP)
•Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

Managed Care Plans
•Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)
•Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO)

Your insurance agent may also provide Medicare supplements, long term care, income protection, etc. Contact Cavallo and Signoriello Insurance today for a free health insurance quote and more information on all of the policy options we offer.

Restaurant Coverage

A quality dining experience is the convergence of a number of factors. Unfortunately, each of these factors carries a number of risk concerns, which include everything from the quality of the food, to the cleanliness of your establishment, to the safety of the kitchen.

At Cavallo and Signoriello Insurance we offer general and specialized restaurant liability insurance that can address your unique risk exposure, including:

•General Liability Coverage
•Liquor Liability Coverage
•Workers Compensation Insurance
•Food Contamination Insurance

Contact us to learn more about our restaurant insurance coverage today!

Are you a landscaper in need of insurance?

You've come to the right place! Landscaping is no easy task. It takes a crew of dedicated, hard-working specialists to turn green into gorgeous. A faulty tool, a lapse of concentration, or even an uncooperative tree can turn the task at hand into a liability nightmare.

At Cavallo and Signoriello Insurance, we can tailor a landscaper’s insurance policy to protect you and your crew from:
•General liability issues
•Commercial liability issues
•Vehicle and equipment malfunction or damage

Contact us today to learn how our landscapers insurance can give you the protection you need, at a price you can afford.

Massachusetts Most Common Claims

In Massachuetts, the top 5 most common claim types are listed below:

1. Water Damage
2. Wind Damage
3. Physical Damage
4. Theft/Burglary
5. Freezing Water (including bursting pipes)


Water Damage
Wind Damage

Physical Damage

Theft/Burglary

Freezing Water (includes bursting pipes)

(Information obtained from the Allstate Common and Costly Claims)

Are you a Business Owner?

Insurance is important for any business; there is no doubt about that. However, is it not the kind of coverage a business owner should rush through purchasing. Buying business insurance is a complicated process and you want to make sure you have an insurance agent who will take the time to ensure that you have all of the policies your business needs to operate smoothly. Many business owners assume that purchasing a Business Owners Policy (BOP) is the only type of insurance they will need, but this is not the case. Although BOPs are useful for most businesses, it is also wise to purchase other business insurance policies to go along with a BOP that meet the specific needs of your business.

Many insurance agencies can offer the following business insurance coverage:
•Business Owners Policies
•Worker’s Compensation
•General Liability
•Errors & Omissions
•Commercial Auto
•Commercial Property
•Group Benefits
•Professional Liability
•And much more…

A business is a huge investment; do not leave it to chance by having inadequate insurance coverage. Cavallo and Signoriello Insurance is a business too, so we understand the importance of comprehensive coverage. We offer many options for business insurance, no matter how big or small your business may be. Contact us today and fill out our free business insurance quote form!

Helpful Auto Accident Tips

If you were in a car accident, would you know what to do? For many people, the course of action after a collision is very puzzling. Here’s a few tips to help you out:

1. Turn on your hazard lights and move your vehicle if possible. This can prevent a second collision.
2. Do not discuss who was at fault. Let your insurance company battle it out.
3. Call the police. If somebody is injured, call 911 immediately.
4. Exchange information. This includes name, address, number, insurance info, and vehicle info. Obtain info from witnesses as well.
5. Talk to the police. Write down his/her name and department. Ask for the incident number.
6. Take photos of the car and surrounding area. If you do not have a camera, write down the names of streets and possibly draw a quick diagram.
7. Call your insurance company. The sooner the better! Most companies offer tow services as well.

We hope that you never get into an accident, but if you do, remember these tips!

Number one agency in Southeastern Massachusetts!

Thank you to everyone who voted in the 2010 Community Newspaper Group Reader's Choice Awards! C & S Insurance Agency was named number one insurance agency in Southeastern Massachusetts for the third straight year!

Happy 4th of July!

C & S Insurance wishes you all a happy & safe 4th of July weekend!

Texting Ban & Vision Tests Coming Soon to MA

In an article from the Boston Herald, the issues of texting while driving and vision tests for those 75 and older is being discussed by the House and Senate of MA. Elderly drivers, responsible for at least two deaths in the past year, will have increased vision tests but don’t have to complete a road test under safe driving legislation Beacon Hill lawmakers agreed on June 23rd. Texting while driving is also banned in the bill, but drivers over the age of 18 would still be able to chat on the phone while driving, according to a copy of the compromise legislation.

The bill still needs to be approved by both the House and Senate before being sent to the governor for final approval. The measure was backed today by a joint transportation committee. The legislation comes after months of wrangling and after the deaths of two people when elderly drivers were behind the wheel.

New Homeowner Oil System Upgrade

The new fact sheet put out by the MassDEP, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, states that by July 1, 2010, you must upgrade your home heating system equipment to prevent leaks from tanks and pipes that connect to your furnace. By making a relatively small expenditure now, you can prevent a much greater expense in the future. Massachusetts has a new law to address oil leaks from home heating systems (see Chapter 453 of the Acts of 2008).

This law has two major provisions that require:
•the installation of either an oil safety valve or an oil supply line with protective sleeve on systems that do not currently have these devices
•insurance companies that write homeowner policies to offer coverage for leaks from heating systems that use oil.

Most homeowner policies do not currently include such coverage, leaving many to pay for costly cleanups out of their own pocket. Although it is mandatory that insurance companies offer this coverage, the insurance is an optional purchase for homeowners. The effective date for both provisions is July 1, 2010. However, to be eligible for the new insurance coverage, homeowners must ensure that their oil heating systems are in compliance with the new law.

Homeowners who have been certified to be in compliance with (or exempt from) the leak prevention measures qualify to purchase insurance that:
•provides "first party coverage" of at least $50,000 for the cost of cleaning up a leak to soil, indoor air, or other environmental media from a home heating system at the residence itself and reimbursement for personal property damage
•provides "third party coverage" of at least $200,000 for the cost of dealing with conditions on and off the insured's property because the leak from this system has or is likely to impact groundwater or someone else's property. The coverage also includes costs incurred for legal defense, subject to a deductible not to exceed $1,000 per claim.