The best family vehicles of 2012   U.S. News and World Report recently released its list of the vehicles that are the best to own for families. According to the news magazine, eight separate brands won awards in 18 different automotive categories, such as the best family compact car, sports utility vehicle, wagon and minivan. Jamie Page Deaton, managing editor of U.S. News Best Cars, explained how the magazines editors picked the winners. "American families need cars that are...

So, maybe you just got married and are about to go on your honeymoon. Or schools out, so you and the fam are taking a summer vacation. Or maybe you recently retired, and you and the spouse are about to travel the world! Summer is by far the most popular time to vacation. Did you know that 45% of Americans take some type of summer vacation? While youre putting together your check-list of supplies to buy, arrangements to make and what to pack, add another item to your list: travel insurance...

Its back-to-school season, which means new shoes, apparel, gear and technology for kids -- and a gigantic Visa statement for parents. According to a recent report by Forbes, parents of kids in K-12 will spend an average of $873 per child, while college parents will spend more than $1,100 per child. Multiply this by a few kids -- and thats a lot of money! If youre looking for ways to save this back-to-school season, youve come to the right place. Here are 5: 1. Buy used books. If your ...

As 2015 draws to a close, you may be making resolutions to eat healthier, get to the gym and save more money. If saving money is on your list, you may be considering upgrading to new, energy-efficient home appliances. But these new gadgets often come with hefty price tags -- which raise the question of whether theyll save you enough money to be worthwhile. Today, we are looking at some of the "smart" appliance upgrades out there -- and whether you should consider the investment. Thermosta...

Happy New Year! If one of your 2016 resolutions was to get your finances in order, youll want to bookmark our blog. All year long, well be talking about ways to save money and get on track. Today, we are looking at Emergency Funds. Why an Emergency Fund? Simply put, life is unpredictable. An emergency is a life-changing event you cannot plan -- like a hospitalization or job loss. Consider your absolute necessities – the things you can’t live without. If you depend ...

If you’ve always dreamed of renting an RV and hitting the open road, we’ve got some important info to share! Whether you want to take the RV around your home state or on a cross-country trip, you’ll need to make sure you’re adequately insured. Here’s some food for thought: 1. Call Your Insurance Agent Talk to your insurance company to find out whether youll be covered while driving the RV. Your regular policy might not cover it, but you may be able to get a ...

School buses are awesome. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), these yellow vehicles: keep roughly 17.3 million cars off the roads each morning, are far less likely to be involved in accidents, and are easily the safest mode of transportation for your kids. Moreover, todays school buses are designed to be safer than ever, and drivers are expected to undergo rigorous training and education to get your kids safely to and from school. ...

If you’ve ever joked about hiring a chauffeur to shuttle your kids to and from their various activities, you’re not alone! With back-to-school season upon us, many of us are in desperate need of a little help getting our kids around town. Between transporting your kids to and from school, extracurriculars, soccer practice, weekend football games, study sessions and playdates, your family minivan is probably feeling more like the family taxi. For working parents, the 9-5 sc...

It’s every parent’s worst nightmare - your child. Missing. Not too far from Cincinnati, in Indiana, the Indiana State Police have issued two Amber Alerts in the past two days. That is highly unusual for our Western neighbors, according to Andre Clark, Program Director for Missing Children and the Amber and Silver Alert programs. Nevertheless, these alerts have heightened parent anxiety everywhere. With the recent days history in mind, its helpful to know the ins and outs of A...

  My name is Jaime and I’m an agent at Etler Kettenacker Agency. Before I got into the insurance industry I did not really understand the importance of insurance or how it worked.   I swear I would hear the teacher from Peanuts when someone would talk insurance!     Since I just told you how confusing I thought insurance was, you may be asking why the heck I would decide to go work in insurance? 2 words… Life Insurance. My husband, Jason, was our fa...

Are you a dog parent? We all love our furry family members and hope that they would never bite anyone, but in reality we all realize that there is always a chance! According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) more than 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs annually. This results in an estimated 800,000 injuries that require medical attention.  More than 50% of dog bites happen on the owner’s property this accounts for one-third of homeowner’s insurance ...