If you own a vehicle, you should own an auto insurance policy. Have you ever wondered how the cost of your policy is determined? There are a number of different factors that impact the cost of your auto insurance. While not all companies use the same parameters, American Insurance Center will help you understand what commonly determines the bottom line of your auto policy. First, your driving record – The better your record, the lower your premiums. If you have been in accidents or had serious traffic violations, it is likely you will pay higher premiums. How much you use...

Strands of sparkling holiday lighting make your home feel merry and bright, especially on a gloomy December day. However, if installed incorrectly, they have the potential to damage your home or electrical system. Before you grab your ladder and boxes of lights, review our list of do’s and don’ts for hanging holiday lighting strands safely. DO’s: EXAMINE LIGHTS BEFORE HANGING - Return or throw away any holiday lighting sets with cracked or broken sockets, loose connections or frayed or bare wires. Replace burned-out bulbs promptly with bulbs of the same wattage. Hanging lights with damaged electrical wiring leads to a...

Thanksgiving is a time to gather around the dinner table in the company of family and friends and be thankful for all that you have. Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, with unattended cooking as the leading contributing factor. Keep your holiday full of laughter and fun by following these safety tips. Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stove top. Stay at home when cooking your turkey and check it frequently. Keep children at least 3 feet away from the hot stove. Heat cooking oil slowly and watch it closely; it can ignite quickly! Keep...

If your home is left unoccupied for weeks or months at a time, your standard homeowners insurance policy might not provide coverage in the event of a claim. Any damages or losses that occur would have to be paid out of pocket unless you have vacant property insurance. Unoccupied and vacant homes present a greater insurance risk than an occupied home. The emergency response time is slower and there is an increased probability of a break-in occurring. This increased risk has resulted in the exclusion of these properties in a standard homeowners insurance policy. If you own an empty or...

One of the primary reasons to buy life insurance is to help replace your income if you have loved ones who count on you for financial support. But if you’re not working at a paying job, should you even bother getting coverage? In a word, yes. Because couples often assume that only the income-earning parent needs life insurance, they often skip out on coverage for the stay-at-home parent. It’s a mistake, though, to overlook the financial support that a stay-at-home parent provides. How Stay-at-Home Parents Provide Financial Support Although stay-at-home parents don’t bring home a paycheck, they provide substantial support for...

Imagine a world where you could actually park inside your garage. What if we told you that dream could be a reality with just a weekend’s worth of work? We rounded up expert garage cleaning tips and turned them into a five-step plan you can use to get your garage organized quickly and painlessly. Take Everything Out The first step to decluttering your garage is to find out what’s in it. Pick a section of your garage to start with and pull everything out onto the driveway to sort through. Besides making it easier to work, this garage cleaning tip...