April 24, 2012
67% of American workers don’t have Long Term Disability insurance through their employers, leaving them financially and physically vulnerable.
May is Disability Insurance Awareness month, and now is a great time to learn the risks of disability, the benefits of planning and the importance of having a solid income protection plan.
We support the Council for Disability Awareness and the LIFE Foundation, who have assembled various resources to increase such disability-related knowledge.
CDA Resources
- New, improved Personal Disability Quotient (PDQ) tool– Calculate your chances of becoming disabled.
- America’s Disability Counter – Be reminded about the frequency of disability.
- The Disability Divide: Advisor Study – Explore the gap between consumers’ attitudes and advisors’ perceptions of those attitudes, about disabilities and their potential threat to their financial security.
- Earnable Income Quotient (EIQ) calculator – Determine the value of your most important financial resource, your income. Will be live May 1.
LIFE’s Producer Toolkit
- Protect Your Paycheck microsite – If you earn a paycheck, you need to protect it with disability insurance.
- Downloadable flyers
- Social media resources
- Online calculators, videos, e-cards
(Information provided by Assurant Employee Benefits)
Disability Insurance Awareness Month presents a great opportunity to educate people about the role of disability insurance in income protection. Need a disability insurance quote? Click the top right link on our home page!
April 17, 2012
If you’re thinking, “This is the worst allergy season ever,” you are correct!
“Pollen levels are increasing, pollen seasons are getting longer, and more people are developing allergies,” says Estelle Levetin, Ph.D., chairwoman of the aerobiology committee for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
In fact, it is estimated that this year’s fall allergies will most likely last up to 27 days longer than average in the northernmost parts of the country. So why is this happening?
1. The seasons are longer
Spring allergies now start sooner and fall allergies end later, thanks to global warming, says Jeffrey G. Demain, M.D., director of the Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Center of Alaska. The carbon-based fuels we use continue to generate greenhouse gases that trap heat from the sun in our atmosphere (causing higher temperatures and increased pollen spread).
2. There’s more pollen than ever
Increasing amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere kick-start pollen production and boosts the amount each plant produces as well. Pollen is even more potent than ever, containing more allergen.
3. More people are developing allergies
The number of Americans with allergies has grown to be 2-5 times higher than thirty years ago. Because we are too clean (exposed to less dirt and bacteria), our bodies overreact to harmless substances like pollen. At the same time, pollution is worse than ever, which can also trigger allergies.
However, the good news is that treatment options for allergies are a lot more efficient than they used to be. Strong mixes of non-sedating antihistamines, eyedrops and steroid sprays help target today’s increased symptoms. Yet, getting re-acquainted with nature– by skipping hand sanitizer and eating whole, fresh foods– may be the true defense against nature itself.
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