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~Alex Hastings~
Hastings Insurance Solutions LLC
~Guide One~
2435 Kimberly Road
Suite #100N
Bettendorf IA 52722
563-355-0262 Office
641-494-9494 Cell
855-355-0262 Fax
ExpertInsuranceSolutions@gmail.com
www.HastingsInsuranceSolutions.com
Are You Making Any of These Top 10 Insurance Blunders?
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Recipe: Valentine's Breakfast Pancakes
Makes about 12 pancakes
Serves 4
- 1 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 egg
- 1/2 to 3/cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Syrup
- 1/2 cup seedless red raspberry jam
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
Directions
Sift flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and nutmeg into a medium bowl. In another bowl beat egg, milk and slightly cooled butter until blended.
Add wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir to moisten. Do not beat.
Heat and grease a griddle. Drop a 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle until the surface of the pancake is dotted with holes. Flip and cook the other side until light brown.
Gently heat raspberry jam and maple syrup in a small pot. Stir until raspberry jam is melted.
Serve pancakes with warm syrup, fresh berries and a mint sprig.
Worth Quoting
This month, some famous quotes on the subject of love:
You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.
Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss)
It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
Lao Tzu
Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.
Robert A. Heinlein
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind.
William Shakespeare
You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.
William W. Purkey
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Shopping Online for Car Insurance? Read this First
Every day we're bombarded with advertising for auto insurance. According to a recent U.S. survey, car insurers alone spent $5.3 billion on advertising in 2011 - an increase of 15% over 2010.
Why? The industry is changing. Vehicle registrations are down, and most North Americans now keep their cars longer due to the economy. Many are even dropping physical damage coverage. And insurance companies are feeling the pinch.
To get it, most provide quotes online. Shopping online for auto coverage may seem like a good alternative; you can receive a quote in less than five minutes. However, unbiased experts (those not involved in the auto insurance industry) offer the following cautions:
First, to obtain an accurate quote you must be prepared to give out sensitive information, such as your Social Security number, online.
Second, you may not get the details you need to compare policies from one company to another. Often coverage options are vague, using terms like "standard coverage," which does not fully explain what you will receive for your hard-earned premium dollar.
Last, and probably most important to the consumer, you usually aren't provided with information on how the insurance company you choose online will handle a claim and general service requests.
Your independent agent ( Alex ;) can provide you with all the same information websites offer. And more. Instead of hours of Web searching and DIY comparisons, why not discuss your individual circumstances with your insurance professional, who can tailor coverage to your needs?
Auto insurance is more than a commodity. It protects your family from liability arising from the use of your car. Why buy something that important from an unknown source? Including; Who's going to regulary answer your call or e-mails personally, and even Where they are is often multiple states away.
The Ideal Valentine Date
 Some cynics believe Valentine's Day is just another opportunity for retailers to flog jewelry, candy and flowers. In fact, the gifts sometimes become more important than the reason behind this celebration - your love for someone else.
But fear not, there are still ample ways to celebrate a special Valentine's Day. These great ideas for unique Valentine's dates come from an unexpected place: men.
While women are usually excited by flowers, wining and dining at expensive restaurants, and perfume, jewelry and lingerie, men have great ideas that would put Cupid himself to shame. This February, why not try one of these unusual date ideas that are almost guaranteed to make you fall in love all over again.
- Geocaching. Treasure hunting with technology, geocaching offers the best of both worlds: an exciting adventure and a Valentine's date to remember.
- Love under the moonn. Head for the great outdoors with your significant other. Bring drinks and s'mores to your favorite camping spot. Enjoy each other's company and celebrate the view by a fire you built yourself.
- Love is in the air. Yes, it's expensive, but flying in a helicopter with your loved one is surely worth the price.
- Skating on thick ice. Even if you're not a great skater, an ice rink offers the perfect excuse to hold onto each other and laugh in the crisp air.
- Music to your ears. Buy concert tickets to your favorite band, then dance and sing the night away with your love.
Try These Quick and Quirky Internet Kitchen Shortcuts
 You can find out how to do just about anything on the Internet. These online tips are fun and clever and can even cut prep time.
- Aerate your wine quickly. Wine connoisseurs know that red wine should breathe a little, optimally in a decanter for half an hour. Aficionados swish their reds around in their glass; the rest of us may want to try this tip: Use a stick or regular blender for a minute to speed up the process. Too weird? Toss the wine from one decanter to another (about 15 tosses) and even the aficionados won't notice. Try a taste test. Can you tell the difference?
- Bang your pomegranate. Love pomegranates but hate seeding them? There's a better way. Cut one in half across the middle (not top to bottom). Hold one half face down in your palm above a large bowl. Bang the bottom end with a heavy wooden spoon for a couple of minutes. It's not perfect, but it's the closest to hassle-free you'll get.
- Prepare perfect pancakes. When you're finished with your ketchup, try washing and filling the squeeze bottle with pancake batter. This trick lets you squeeze out just the right amount of batter for perfect pancakes. If you're using a flat griddle, you can squeeze the perfect amount of batter into your metal cookie cutters to create pancakes in your favorite shape.
- Freshen the air. Dilute vodka with water in a spray bottle to squelch kitchen odors.
~Please Don't Drink and Drive~ Nothing can put a stop to a Romantic time like a car accident, That goes double for anyone Text-Driving too!
RVing This Spring? Review Your RV Insurance Now
Increasing numbers of Americans are setting out to see their country in recreational vehicles (RVs). Just as RVs demand special handling, RV owners have special insurance needs. Whether you are an experienced RV owner or are just beginning to shop for your RV, consider these insurance options to protect your family and your investment.
- Buying a new RV is expensive, and once you drive it off the lot, it depreciates. Some carriers offer additional upgraded protection with Total Loss Replacement coverage that will provide a new RV if your newer-model RV is totaled.
- Everyone wants an event-free trip, but breakdowns can strand you in out-of-the-way places. You may want to investigate 24/7 Roadside Assistance for towing, lockout protection, battery replacement, flat tire repair, fuel delivery, and removal from mud, snow or sand.
- Vehicle add-ons need special insurance protection. Antennas, satellite dishes and other post-purchase additions can be expensive to replace. Accessories coverage protects your add-ons, and additional coverage is available for awnings and other extras.
- Some travelers decide to live in their RVs full time. However, they still need liability coverage. Imagine if your on-board canine companion bites someone or someone falls near your RV. Full-Timer coverage can help you protect your assets while enjoying a traveling lifestyle.
RVs Good Sam Club has a million-plus members, so RVing is clearly a lifestyle choice for many. Do it safely; discuss insurance options with your Local insurance professional ( Alex ;) for the RV coverage that's right for you.
Will You Lose Your Health Coverage After a Divorce?
~Personally I have a Family member in the middle of a Divorce. Being aware of all the details this unfortunate situation is Very Important this one is regulary overlooked.~
Are you considering divorce? Unfortunately, there's one more thing to add to your list of concerns: the state of your health insurance after you split.
If you are now receiving health care coverage under a spouse's plan, you likely won't qualify as a dependent under that plan after a divorce. That means you will need to get a private health insurance plan. Otherwise you may lose your coverage.
Although both men and women can be cut off their spouses' plans after divorce, a study published in December 2012 indicates that women most commonly lose their insurance or have to settle for lower coverage.
According to a University of Michigan study, found in the December Journal of Health and Social Behavior, about 115,000 women lose their private health insurance after a divorce.
Other findings include:
- Women's overall insurance coverage remains lower for at least two years after a divorce.
- Middle-class women are most impacted: They tend to lose coverage more than women with higher incomes, yet their incomes aren't low enough to make them eligible for public insurance.
- Even when women are covered by their own employers' plans, they may have difficulty paying their share of the premiums because of financial hardship after a divorce.
The Affordable Care Act includes provisions that could help remedy this situation for both sexes, including tax credits in 2014 for people with incomes of 100% to 400% of the poverty line who don't qualify for other affordable programs.
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