Tori no Sashimi !?

Raw Chicken?! Yes, chicken sashimi is a delicacy in Japan. When I was in Japan earlier this year, my friend took me to the Grand Opening of a local restaurant. 'Nokaoi Yakitori' in Saitama Japan sponsors some of the fighters at his gym, so he insisted that we needed to be there promptly on time.

The first few orders were your typical grilled chicken skewers. When the raw stuff came out, I was shocked. I think they noticed as they assured me it was safe. I figure, "What the hell. When in Rome...." and took a bite. The texture wasn't slimey like I'd imagined, but closer to cooked meat. Lots of negi (green onions)and wasabi blended into an excellent experience. I don't think I'd try that here stateside though. These guys are professionals;don't try this at home.

Vacation Rental Cars

People always ask me, “Should I buy the insurance from the rental car company when I go on vacation, or will my personal policy cover me?

Short answer: Yes & Yes, your personally auto policy coverages will go with you when you rent a car while on vacation, however....

This doesn't mean that your personal insurance policy will cover everything. You MAY want to purchase the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) portion of the insurance from the rental company. Here’s why…

There are some areas of exposure when you rent a car that do not apply to your everyday auto insurance

1. Loss of Rental income: The rental car is damaged and will take time to be repaired. The rental company would have rented the car out had it not been in an accident. They have the right to ask you to pay their loss of rental income on the damaged car.

2. Diminution of value- You damaged a rental car in a collision. The rental company then repairs and decides to sell the car. They only get $15,000 for the used car that they would've gotten $17,000 had it not been in a collision. The rental car company can bill the customer for that loss. That $2,000 will not be covered by your personal auto policy nor your credit card company.

Note: Many Credit Card companies offer secondary coverage on rental cars such as: loss of rental income, deductible, or may offer additional physical damage limits. Take the time to call them before you go on vacation to find out what perks are offered by your program.

General tips:
1. With any rental, be sure to point out any damage to the car that was there before your drive away. You don’t want to be charged for something you didn’t do.

2. Excluded Uses & Drivers- Make sure you list who will drive your car and note any exclusions of coverage. Example: many rental agreements exclude coverage if a valet drives the car or driving off-road.

3. Your credit card limit- Remember that if you are in an accident, the rental agreement may require immediate reimbursement for damages and the rental company will charge it to your credit card. If you limits are maxed out, it could shorten or ruin your vacation.

ASR Virtue, San Diego

At the beginning of the month, I went to the ASR (Action Sports Retail) Convention at the Hard Rock Hotel in downtown San Diego. I went to help out friend / owner of R-1 Training Center in El Segundo, Rico Chiapparelli and pro fighter, Frank Trigg.
Rico was marketing MMA Classics and Frank was promoting his brand, Triggonomics Triggonomics. Pictured at the booth (L-R) is: Carla Santana, Frank Trigg, Rico, and UFC fighter Kendall Grove.

If you are not familiar with ASR, these trade shows cater to the emerging lifestyle brands centered around the music, art, surf, skate, motocross, and mixed martial arts industry.

September is National Life Insurance Awareness Month

If you weren’t already aware, September is National Life Insurance Awareness month. It is suggested that people periodically take the time to evaluate their situation and see if they are properly insured.

Did you know that only 41 percent of adult Americans have individual life insurance? Many rely on insurance provided by their employers, leaving them without coverage if they were to lose their job or change jobs.

When a premature death occurs, insufficient life insurance coverage on the part of the insured results in 75 percent of surviving family members having to work additional jobs or longer hours, borrow money, withdraw money from savings and investment accounts, or move to smaller, less expensive housing.

One of my colleagues, Lynn Cardarelli of Mutual of Omaha, shared this letter with me. It is called, “I am Life insurance”…Take a few moments to read it and reflect on how this relates to yourself and your family.

I am a Life Insurance Policy

I am a piece of paper, a drop of ink and a few pennies of premium.

I am a promise to pay.

I help people see visions, dream dreams and achieve economic immortality.

I am education for the children.

I am savings.

I am property that increases in value from year to year.

I lend money when you need it most, no questions asked.

I pay off mortgages so that the family can remain together in their own homes.

I ensure people the daring to live and the moral right to die.

I create money where none existed before.

I am the great emancipator from want.

I guarantee the continuity of business.

I am tangible evidence that a man is a good husband and that a woman is a good wife and mother.

I am a declaration of financial independence and economic freedom.

I am the difference between an old man and woman and an elderly gentleman or lady.

I provide cash if illness, injury, old age or death cuts off the breadwinner’s income.

I am the only that you can buy on the installment plan that your family doesn’t have to finish paying for.

I am protected by laws that prevent creditors from assessing the money I give to your loved ones.

I bring dignity, peace of mind and security to your family.

I supply investment capital that makes the wheels turn and the motors hum.

I guarantee the financial ability to have happy holidays and the laughter of children – even though the father or mother is not there.

I am the guardian angel of the home.

I am life insurance.

My New New thing

I'm behind the internet curve and figuring this thing out as I go along. The purpose of this BLOG will be to have a place for my network of friends & clients to read about general insurance tips. I will also post about various friends, places, activities, events, and things on Japanese culture. Just to be clear, this information isn't a substitute for advice from a licensed agent who understands your individual situation. The goal here is to give you basic information related to insurance so you may have a better understanding.