The winter months are some of the most expensive in Evergreen Park, IL due to the amount of energy you use to heat the house. At Martin Insurance Team, we want to help reduce those bills while ensuring your home is comfortable throughout the year. By performing a handful of these monthly saving fall prep tips, you’ll have your home ready for whatever mother nature has to throw at you. 

Check for Cracks

Search the home, around window and door frames plus around the foundation for any possible cracks you might have. Fill in these areas with caulk or sealant (depending on where the crack is) in order to reduce energy loss through these areas. It will have a direct impact on the overall cost of running the heat in your home. 

Programmable Thermostat

If you have not upgraded to a programmable thermostat (or better yet, a WiFi controlled thermostat), now is the time. This way, you can program the thermostat to reduce heat when you’re gone at work. Doing so helps you save a considerable amount of money. After all, there is no reason to pay an arm and a leg to heat your home when nobody is around. 

Prep the Windows

More heat energy is lost through your windows than anywhere else in the home. Adding an additional layer of protection around the windows can help with your energy bills. Specially designed plastic wrap can attach to the windows with the air of heat (through a hair dryer). It acts like another window pane, so you should see a noticeable difference in energy bills.

HVAC Inspection

Have your HVAC system inspected and cleaned out. The pros will tighten everything up and clean out the vents, which reduces energy usage. 

Life is full of phases, and each new phase bring new excitements, rewards, and challenges. When you enter a new phase of life, chances are that you adapt your life to meet what is coming. When you get a new job, your priorities change to accommodate your career goals. When you get married or have children, your long-term goals change to include your family. When you retire, your focus may change to do some of the things you’ve been putting off.

When you move into a new phase of life, it’s important to make sure that whatever protection measures you have in place can be changed to meet the new needs of your life and your family. When you get married and have children, you have additional people to care for. When you retire, you don’t have the same income providing for your financial needs. By changing what protections you have in place as you prepare to enter a new phase, you can be sure that you and your family will be provided for in any situation that may occur.

Life insurance is one of the protections that has to change when your family needs change. Just because you have life insurance doesn’t mean it meets your family’s needs at every phase of life. As you enter each new phase of life, it’s important to check that your life insurance policy will protect your family in the event the unexpected happens. That way, no matter where you are in life, you will have the right protections in place.

For more information about getting life insurance to meet the needs of your current phase of life, contact a local agent at the Martin Insurance Team today.

When it comes to having a family and career, we often think about our long-term goals alongside our short-term ones. However, often some of the most essential of needs are overlooked. One of these is insurance.

So, why is insurance an important investment for you, your family, your business or all of the above? Insurance is a protection that serves as a source of income in the event that you are hurt or suffer an accidental death and can cover your home, car or business in the case of different types of damage that may occur. Depending on what type of insurance you are purchasing, each serves a different purpose.

Most Common Types of Insurance and Their Purposes

Life Insurance

Life insurance covers your family in the event of your death. It can pay for funeral expenses at the time of your death and should serve as income to cover the loss that your death would create. Often, the payout from life insurance policies is initially used to pay off outstanding debts and expenses. Thus, life insurance policies should cover at least ten times your income. I.e.. if your income is $50,000 annually, your policy should be $500,000.

Commercial Insurance

A commercial insurance policy is a protection for your business and your company. Dependent on the size and type of business that you run, a commercial insurance policy may be required by law. Your policy will cover damage to your business in case of a natural disaster like fire, flooding or even burglary. Further, it may cover disability insurance for your employees. The most type of common commercial insurance is a general liability policy.

Home Insurance

The most common general homeowner’s insurance policy will cover natural disasters. Some of these include fire, rain, vandalism, burglary, lightning and hail. Often, flooding and earthquakes is excluded from a general policy. Thus, additional protection will need to be purchased alongside the general policy to assure that you are covered for those events.

No matter what type of insurance policy you are seeking, Martin Insurance Team can help get you covered. Contact us for a free quote and evaluation of your insurance needs today!

Some states experience harsher winters than others. Generally, if you live in the Northeast or the Midwest, you can expect to take a greater beating as far as winter weather goes. This definitely is the case for residents of Evergreen Park, IL and neighboring cities who have grown accustomed to dealing with the unfortunate winter weather, whether these efforts are based around protecting their equipment from rust, properly insulating their home from the cold weather, or preparing their property for the potential risks of slips and falls. Unfortunately, no matter how prepared a person may think they are, we at Martin Insurance Team knows that it is never going to be 100% perfect.

In the event that an unfortunate incident occurs in spite of all of the efforts put towards avoiding such a thing from happening, the last thing in the world you want to have happen is for you to be caught with your pants down. If you experienced damage to your furniture or your home’s woodwork from the dry weather, you will have to pay out of pocket in order to get these things fixed or, even worse, replaced. This also applies to things like fencing, tool sheds, and the like. As a bonus, if your home needs to be repaired (such as if a tree were to fall on it), your plan may cover the living expenses you incur during the repair. Worse yet is to have an injury occur on your property; if you are uninsured, you may find that you are stuck with a lot of bills. Medical bills, paying for the person’s lost income, etc.

Martin Insurance Team can get you a good selection of insurance plans that suit your budgetary and general needs in minutes, so come seek our assistance before it’s too late.

Without sitting down with a magnifying glass to read over pages and pages of the fine print on home insurance, it may seem like there aren’t a lot of resources to turn to when you want to buy a policy. It can often come down to the carrier you choose, but there are also a few things to consider before you start the process. 

1. It’s What’s Inside that Counts 

Well, that’s not exactly true. Obviously, the outside of the building matters too, but people often don’t realize that their expensive possessions may not be covered under their policy, especially if that policy wasn’t updated after you bought that new computer or TV. 

2.Start Talking About the Details 

Asking questions is absolutely pivotal in finding the right coverage, and the more detailed, the better. Even if you never experience the situation you inquire about, you’re more likely to feel prepared about what could happen. 

3. Weather or Not 

Earthquakes in Illinois is not necessarily on everyone’s mind, but stranger things have been known to happen. Many weather events like earthquakes and flooding aren’t covered under standard policy terms, making homeowners surprised when they call for help. Find out your odds of experimenting a weather-related emergency, so you at least understand the terms. 

4. Getting More Than You Need

People with tight budgets may think they’re getting away with something when they choose the cheapest plan, but few are able to cope when they have the bare minimum of support after a disaster. 

5. Finding a Trustworthy Source 

You need someone you can actually talk to in order to make any of the above happen. Evergreen has Martin Insurance Team, so give us a call if you need some help with choosing the right policy.

Finding the right life insurance policy can have a significant effect on your family, but often people don’t put the time into it before they make the decision. Consider these 5 benefits you can receive if you simply put in a little extra effort. 

1. Short-Term Goals 

Term insurance lets you pick the time period you’ll want coverage, and it comes with a lower cost than most premiums. Those who have children tend to find this to be a better deal, because it allows them to provide through their younger years but not beyond. 

2. Long-Term Goals 

Buying permanent insurance is perfect for those who want that long-term coverage for family at any time, and it allows you to lock in rates you may not be able to access in your later years. 

3. Savings 

When you hear of people borrowing from their life insurance, they’re referring to permanent insurance with a savings component. Most policies will include some type of option with this feature. While it’s not an ideal situation, it’s helped people out of unexpected jams. What’s extra helpful about this features is that you’ll often have an easier time accessing it than you would through other means (mutual funds, 401k, etc.)

4. Ensure Stability 

The benefits your family receives are invaluable when it comes to keeping everyone protected from a financial catastrophe. Their comfort both during the initial impact and beyond needs to be at the core of your decisions. 

5. Building Relationships 

Finding someone you trust to help find a life insurance policy opens you up to a new relationship and allows you to feel secure about what will happen to your family. Martin Insurance Team serving Evergreen Park, IL has the agents to guide you, so give us a call today for a quote. 

 

 

If you have to wear a hard hat and a face mask when you open your teenager’s closet, its time to organize. Kids, especially teens, are reluctant to throw anything away, so even old and unused items get tossed in the closet, which usually makes it difficult for them to even find what they need. The following 3 steps will help you get your teenager’s closet clean and organized.

Step #1-Remove Everything

The first step to organizing a teenager’s closet is to remove everything that is currently in the closet. This may be a tedious task, but it will help you sort through the closet contents easier. As you remove the items, put them into categories. For example, clothing in one pile, accessories in another pile and paper/memorabilia in another pile. If you find items in their closet that belongs to other family members,such as your old computer or high school yearbook, immediately take these items to a different room.

Step #2-Sorting

After everything has been removed from the closet, it’s time to start sorting through everything. Have three large containers available to put items in as you sort them. You will need one container for keeping items, one of donating items and one for trash. Starting at one of the piles you previously made, carefully go through each pile, putting items into their perspective container. The items that are being donated should be taken to the garage or other storage area until you are able to drop the items off. Take the trash out as soon as you are done sorting through everything.

Step #3-Organizing the Space

If necessary, install an additional rod below the original one for additional space to hang clothing. Label plastic containers to be used for items, such as hair accessories, belts, scarves and etc. Fill the plastic containers with only the items on the label. Hang clothing on plastic clothes hangers and sort them as you hang the items in the closet. For example, put all of the pants together and all of the shirts together. For even more organization, consider hanging certain types of clothing on a specific color of clothes hanger. For example, all of the shirts can go on blue clothes hangers, while the pants are placed on white clothes hangers. Stack the plastic containers on the closet shelf and arrange shoes on the closet floor.

Now that your teenagers closet is organized and looking spectacular, the only thing left is to encourage them to keep it that way. If you notice them not wearing certain items of clothing for a few weeks, ask if the item still fits, if not, immediately remove it from the closet and toss in the donate container. At least once each week, inspect the closet to make sure there is no trash or items piling up on the floor.

When it’s time to organize the closets, it is also a perfect time to organize your home or renters insurance. Contact Martin Insurance Team to make sure your current policy is up to date.

When you think of spring cleaning, you probably think of cleaning the inside of your home. Not only is it a good idea to spring clean the interior of your home, but spring is also the perfect time to make some repairs and clean up to the exterior of your home. Spring and summer can bring some pretty intense weather in the Midwest, so it is best to get your home and yard ready for the season.

Roof and Gutter Cleaning

During the spring you may still get some freezing temps. This cold/warm cycle can cause damage to your roof from water freezing and thawing. Most water damage to roofs occur in the spring because of this freezing and thawing cycle. You can help prevent this damage, and other damage to your roof, by making sure your gutters are clean. Clean gutters let the water drain and keeps it from accumulating under the shingles and causing damage.

Check to make sure all of your shingles are in good repair. Loose shingles can blow off in a storm and cause damage to the roof and surrounding structures. Check for any cracked or warped shingles. Cracked or warped shingle expose your roof to water and weather damage. Look for any leaks in the attic or ceilings for signs of a leak in your rook.

Yard and Shrubs

Remove any limbs or other debris that may have accumulated in your yard during the winter. Clean around your shrubs and trees to remove any loose limbs or debris which may blow around and cause damage in a heavy storm. Trim any limbs or branches which may rub against your roof or structures to help prevent costly damage.

These are just a few tips to get your home ready for the spring and summer weather. Call or contact the Martin Insurance Team and ask about homeowner insurance to be sure you have the right coverage for the upcoming spring and summer season.