Hurricane Harvey has been a major wake-up call to individuals and families across the country about their own level of preparedness in the face of a natural disaster. Improved technology has made it slightly easier to predict certain types of natural disasters and their expected pathways, but it's still next to impossible to predict their full impact or level of destruction. For example, Texas residents knew several days in advance that Hurricane Harvey was approaching our coast, but no one knew that we would receive multiple tornadoes and catastrophic, record-shattering flooding.

Renting an apartment can offer significant benefits to individuals and families looking for a place to live. It might mean a shorter commute to work, closer proximity to better schools, access to amenities like swimming pools or gyms, additional shopping and entertainment options, or the ease of not having to handle property maintenance. However, apartment renting may also increase the likelihood of personal property damage to renters and their families.

We often believe that home is the safest place we can be, especially when it comes to protecting our children. However, studies have shown that accidents and injuries involving adults or children are far more likely to occur at home than anywhere else. While part of this may be because we spend more time at home, the truth is that our homes aren't always as safe as they could be. Many of the accidents, injuries, and deaths that occur at home are largely preventable, but homeowners just aren't aware of the risks or dangers that exist, or know how to lower those risks.

College is an important rite of passage for young adults, and many new college students will move out of town or even out of state to attend their school. Before saying goodbye to your college-bound student, it's important to have a discussion with them about money, financial responsibility, and insurance coverage. A majority of college students will have health insurance provided by their parent's existing policy, but health coverage is just one type of insurance coverage that they might need while starting this new chapter of life.

Major life changes will often lead individuals or families to update or increase personal insurance coverage. For example, when a couple gets married or welcomes a new child to their family, it can trigger a change in life insurance coverage, estate planning, and beneficiary information. However, there are some life changes that can still impact personal insurance coverage that people forget about.

The holidays are a festive time of celebration, often involving traveling, gathering with family and friends, and sharing delicious meals together. Sadly, they can also be a dangerous time for families and friends if proper precautions are not taken. In today's blog post, we discuss three common dangers that occur most during the holidays, and what people can do to mitigate their risks.

Our parents spend years caring for us, teaching us, and guiding us from infancy to adulthood. Once adults, we can make our own decisions, plan for our future, and care for our self and our loved ones. Sadly, over time our parents may reach a stage where their own health, mobility, finances, and living situation may require them to make major life changes. While it may be difficult for adult children to discuss these sensitive topics with their aging parents, it is absolutely critical to make sure our loved ones have the safety, care, and support they need to thrive in their senior years.

Homeowners, renters, and business owners are often reminded of the importance of having personal and commercial insurance coverage. However, college students are some of the most vulnerable victims when disaster strikes, and are rarely protected with quality insurance coverage. Sadly, college students have little financial recourse when their possessions are lost or damaged by severe weather, or when they are victims of accidents or injuries on campus.

When disaster strikes, some of the most vulnerable people are those renting apartments, as there is not often a clear-cut emergency plan or exit strategy in place. Residents fleeing a fire or other major catastrophe are often confused about where to go or safe places to find shelter or help, and they risk losing their lives or suffering from major injuries because of these delays.

While summer can be a busy time for families as they plan vacations and road trips, it can be an even busier time for thieves looking to steal what they can from residential properties. In almost no time at all, and with very little effort, criminals can quickly make off with hundreds and even thousands of dollars worth of personal property. Today's blog post looks at the top four things thieves target on residential properties during the summer months.