September is National Preparedness Month, which is recognized each year to encourage disaster and emergency planning for individuals and families. Too often people are left unprepared when disaster strikes, and a lack of early preparation typically results in a longer and more difficult recovery period. In today's Aegis blog post, we look at three areas of preparation everyone should evaluate and discuss.

We always want to be prepared in the event a disaster strikes our home, whether it's a fire, flood, burglary, or other major event. But if your home and possessions are lost or stolen, how well would you be able to remember all of your assets and their value for insurance purposes? The reality is that people greatly underestimate how many possessions they actually have, as well as their overall value, particularly after the trauma of a disaster when they are relying strictly on their memory.

With summer nearly here, many individuals and families across the country will begin making plans for summer activities or embarking on vacation. While summer activities or travel plans can be a lot of fun, it's also important to be smart about activities and protecting what matters most, whether enjoying a staycation, taking a road trip, or spending time on the water. In today's Aegis blog post, we look at a few ways to stay safer this summer and protect yourself and your property.

If you watch the news or see pictures from around the world, you'll likely notice the growing number of major natural disasters occurring around the country and the world. These include an increased number of hurricanes and floods, wildfires, tornadoes, hailstorms, and droughts than in previous years.

During grade school and college, students are often asked to write research papers or essays on a specific topic or book, and it's usually clear to teachers who did their research and who didn't. Those who take the time to do thorough research typically earn better grades because they have more information and understand the topic better. These same school lessons can apply to us as consumers now, because taking the time to do our research can result in smarter purchases and better investments.

Like it or not, social media has completely transformed the way many people across the world live their lives, communicate with others, and do business. It's common to see people sharing nearly every aspect of their day online, but it's important to use good judgment in what you share with the world, or you could find yourself at risk. The focus of today's Aegis blog post is looking at some of the social media activity that can put you, your family, or even your business at risk and what can be done to lower those risks.

Parents can attest to the fact that there is always something new to teach kids, whether it's about table manners, how to change a tire, resolving a conflict with a friend, or how to save money. Although many parents see the benefits of teaching their kids about money at an early age, they do not always include lessons about the other kinds of financial responsibilities that come with adulthood, such as paying and filing taxes, buying or renting a place to live, or the importance of insurance.

One of the universal truths about life is that there are often changes ahead, whether they're planned or not. Most of these changes involve our personal relationships, family, or career, meaning they have a lot of significance and impact for years to come. However, big life changes can also influence our financial situation, making it necessary for us to adjust our insurance coverage accordingly.

It's common to collect things over time, whether they're sentimental, part of a hobby, or have a high resale value. If your collection is valuable because of its size, uniqueness, or resale value on the open market, it's important to have your collectibles properly insured in the event of a disaster such as theft or damages. In today's Aegis blog post, we'll look at some of the collections people might have, common assumptions people make about insuring their collectibles, and what kinds of insurance can best protect them.

It's common for individuals and families in the market for a new home to start their research in the spring. Many will closely examine floor plans and home amenities, subdivisions and deed restrictions, nearby school districts, shopping and entertainment centers, and traffic conditions. However, there are three other important factors to consider that can impact your future home's property value, as well as insurance coverage needs. In today's Aegis blog post, we'll examine these three additional factors to research before buying a new home.