Drunk Facebooking

Birds Do It,

Bees Do It,

Even Educated Fleas Do It,

Let’s Do It,

Let’s Get Drunk And Post Embarrassing Things On Faceboooookkkkk!

 

…Okay, so maybe that’s not what Cole Porter had in mind when he wrote the “original” version back in 1928.  Fast forward 80 years &  it’s been a PROBLEM for many of us.

In the 90′s, we had drunk dialing.  Having a drink or 12, then calling a few select friends or enemies and telling them EXACTLY what you thought of them.  And that was bad.  Very, very bad.  Scrolling through your phone and mapping out damage control strategies is certainly an unpleasant way to spend a Sunday morning.

But drunk facebooking takes that ‘dial of shame’ to a whole new level.  Instead of telling a few special people just how much you hated their wedding, think their uncle is gay, or wish you had never met them…you tell EVERYONE YOU HAVE EVER MET, EVER IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.  From 4th grade in Mrs. Fodor’s class to your ex-mother in law.  Le yikes.

With the invention of smart phones, this problem takes on epidemic proportions.  I mean, sure at 1:45 a.m. it seems like a good idea to let every know it’s closing time & who you want to take home.  At 9:45 a.m., with eyeliner smeared across your cheek and a broken heel on your new Louboutins, not so much.

Anyone have funny stories to share with drunk facebooking?  Come on, I want to laugh with you.  Or at you.  Depending on the story.  Better yet, any suggestions on how to stop yourself from making this grievous error in judgment?  I mean, surely there’s an app for that…

 

Important Health Advice For Women

IMPORTANT HEALTH ADVICE FOR WOMEN

Do you have feelings of inadequacy?

Do you suffer from shyness?

Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or
pharmacist about Margaritas.

Margaritas are the safe, natural way to feel better and more
confident about yourself and your actions.
Margaritas can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell
the world that you’re ready and willing to do just about anything.

You will notice the benefits of Margaritas almost immediately and
with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that
prevent you from living the life you want to live. Shyness and
awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many
talents you never knew you had.

Stop hiding, and start living…with Margaritas!
Margaritas may not be right for everyone.   Women who are pregnant or

nursing should not use Margaritas. However, women who wouldn’t mind
nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it.

Side effects may include:
-Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration
- Loss of motor control
- Loss of clothing
- Loss of money
- Loss of virginity
- Table dancing
- Headache
- Dehydration
- Dry mouth
- And a desire to sing Karaoke

WARNING:

The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you are
whispering when you are not.

WARNING:
The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to tell your
friends over and over again that you love them.

WARNING:
The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to think you can
sing.

WARNING:
The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you can
logically converse with members of the opposite sex without
spitting.

Happy New Year!

2011 Flashback. 2012 Flash Forward.

2011 has been another year of steady growth at Brown-Phillips Insurance.  And we owe it all to you!  Truly we appreciate your business, and can honestly say we strive to continually raise the bar when it comes to amazing service.  We cannot control the rates set by the North Carolina Rate Bureau.  We cannot control how much or how little business the insurance companies want to write.  We cannot control losses caused by natural disasters.  (Wow, looks like a lot of things are out of our control.)  BUT…we can control how well we treat our customers and the level of service that we provide!  Hopefully we have done a great job in 2011, and hope to continually improve in 2012.  After all, no matter how well a job is done, there is always room for improvement.

2012 is a VERY exciting year for Brown-Phillips Insurance.  Our 10 year anniversary!!  In an uncertain economy and era of fast change for business, we have managed to not only survive, but thrive!  Ten years is a big milestone, and we are proud of the accomplishment.  We are looking forward to a big celebration, and thanking YOU in many ways in the coming months.  Stay tuned for those details!

In short, 2011 has been a year of growth and development for our agency.  We appreciate and thank our amazing customers and insurance company partners!  The forecast for 2012 looks sunny as well, and we are looking forward to outdoing the competition!

Happy New Year!

36 Months Is The Magic Number! Well, sort of.

Many people ask me how long a DWI/DUI conviction has an impact on their insurance premiums.

The magic answer is….drumroll….it depends.

A DWI/DUI conviction is only a chargeable violation for 36 months from the conviction date.  However, it can impact your rates for up to 7 years.

7 years?  You may as well break a mirror or cross the path of a black cat under a ladder!  Okay, maybe that is extreme.  Here’s how it breaks down:

Different insurance carriers have different underwriting guidelines.  So it really depends on each individual insurance company. While most carriers will only charge the points for 36 long months, most also review driving records for at least 5 years for major incidents.  So your driving record may be clean as whistle for 4 years, but 4 years and 1 month ago you had a DWI conviction…you are still out on the best rates.  (Cue the womp womp womp music here.)

Some carriers look back 7, and in at least one cray-zay case with Hartford Insurance, 10 years for major violations.

So, the good news is, the points are not charged against you after 36 months.  The bad news is, most carriers look back at least 5 years to determine if they will write your policy, AND what pricing tier will be used.

Luckily, we represent several carriers that only use the 36 month guideline.  Whatever happened before 3 years ago, stays 3 years ago.  Kind of like Vegas.

 

I Don’t Have A Clever Title.

So I am really struggling today.  Why, you ask?  Well, let me fill you in.  Over the course of the past couple of months, I have been experiencing some heart palpitations and anxiety that make me…uncomfortable, for lack of a better word.  I know the cause of the problem:  glorious, wonderful, stimulating caffeine.

Now, I am no caffeine a-holic.  But we have a delicate relationship; caffeine and I.  One cup of coffee in the morning is enough to tempt fate and get me through the day.  Keep your sodas and teas.  Just me and my k-cup, kicking it every morning was all I needed to get by.

Sadly, the jig is up.

Recently even one cup has turned me into a pre-Parkinson’s jitterbug.  I tried drinking half a cup.  No good.  The anxiety has been creeping into other parts of my life, so I decided it was time to make the switch to caffeine free living.

Yesterday morning I felt tired and foggy headed.  After lunch, I decided to do something that I NEVER do:  have a carbonated soda.  I felt like I needed something (hello, Sunkist!), and as long as there was no caffeine, then what’s the harm?

The harm is SUNKIST HAS CAFFEINE.  Of course, this was unbeknownst to me at the time of consumption.  I did notice that I perked right up after drinking the fizzy orangey goodness.  This no caffeine thing wasn’t so bad after all!  Until I felt the familiar racing heart that I was trying to avoid and took a peek at the ingredient list.  There it was, like an evil temptress.  CAFFEINE.  How did I go through my entire life without realizing this?  Clearly one of life’s great mysteries.

But that sealed the fate of caffeine in my life.  Like gambling and loose women, it was another vice I was going to have to give up in my quest to have a 50th wedding anniversary party and beat Betty White at her own old lady game.  (Okay, just kidding about the gambling and loose women.  Or am I???  Hmmmmm)

Today is Day 2, and I have traded the caffeine induced heart racing for narcolepsy.  Maybe I will get used to this one day??  I hope so.

Using this chart, my state of mind can currently be found between severe depression and normalcy:

Giving up vices is hard.  And it made me start to think of something that I hear from so many customers:  the DUI incident was the last time they took a drink.   Did your DUI conviction cause you to re-think drinking alcohol?  And if so, did it stick?

Coffee, like alcohol, is rooted into so many of our social rituals.  How do we sacrifice the coffee or alcohol, without sacrificing the ritual?  I guess that’s why they make O’Douls.  And decaf.

Man… breaking up is hard to do.

I See…Drunk People?

Haley Joel Osment Speaks Out About 2006 DUI

The San Francisco Chronicle has reported that Haley Joel Osment has spoken out about his 2006 DUI. The former “Sixth Sense” and “Pay it Forward” child actor was arrested in July 2006 outside Los Angeles for crashing his vehicle into a mailbox. Osment admitted he betrayed his family’s trust with his DUI.

“That night was an example of being a foolish high schooler screwing around before college starts,” he said. Osment also noted that treating DUIs in the media as “a Hollywood thing” ignores the fact that “it can happen to anybody.”

See?  You aren’t alone.  In addition to Haley Joel, other Hollywood A-listers on the wrong side of a booze cruise, include:

• Khloe Kardashian
• Kiefer Sutherland
• Heather Locklear
• Mel Gibson
• Vince Neal
• Lindsay Lohan

Not to mention:

• Shannen Doherty
• Rebecca De Mornay
• Vivica A. Fox
• Tracey Gold
• Mischa Barton
• Nick Nolte
• Mickey Rourke
• Steve McQueen
• Keanu Reeves
• David Hasselhoff

Let’s not forget:

• Kelsey Grammer
• Ray Liotta
• Lane Garrison
• Andy Dick
• Tracy Morgan
• Mike Tyson
• Jason Priestly
• Jean-Claude Van Damme

Wow…after compiling this list, I think it may have been easier to list celebrities WITHOUT DWI/DUI convictions!  The point is…it can happen to anyone.  A DUI conviction does not define any of these people.  And it certainly does not define you.

(Of course, it goes without saying that drinking & driving is a bad idea…The Diva never wants anyone to jeopardize their safety or the safety of others.  Or the safety of trees… or ditches.)

In the words of Sally Field, “You like me! You really like me!”

Let’s face it:  not many kids want to be a heroic insurance agent when they grow up.  Sometimes I want to make a difference in the world, and it is hard to think that I do when I am slinging policies all day.  It’s great when real live customers send me emails or post feedback to let me know how much I have helped them.  In turn, it really helps me feel good about my work & what I do here.  In fact, it makes me feel like this:

Shall we kick off this love fest with a few of my favorites?

I had been a loyal customer with the same insurance company for over 12 years and to may dismay, they increased my auto rates by over 400% at policy renewal time. I started shopping around and Ashlee responded to the NetQuote request I posted online. The proposal really looked to good to be true but curiosity got the best of me and I elected to call her for more details. Boy am I glad I did!!!. I must have asked Ashlee a 1000 questions which she promptly answered and also provided all the details I was looking for. The whole process was completed within the same day and Ashlee really put the WOW factor back in Customer Service. I thought I was in Good Hands before and my whole experience has been nothing short of Outstanding. I am looking forward to doing business with you for many years to come and I will certainly tell all my friends about you. Cheers.

There were some ‘bumps’ in one member of our family’s driving record and Ashlee was able to find us the best auto insurance rates that I have seen. I also love that she is right on top of her clients and makes sure that we make our deadlines. She really has made our insurance needs easier than other companies have in the past. I make sure to tell all our family and friends who to go to for insurance needs.

I love the fact that I can call and ask any questions, make payments, do add-ons or anything of the sort anytime. My agent, Ashlee is always eager to help. She is a great asset to your team!

Insurance should not be a difficult area to manage to the customer but i have found in the past having to do extra work on my end to insure that my insurance did not lapse, etc.  At Brown-Phillips I have not had to worry about my insurance because i know it is in good hands.

A little policeman in a little town in the mountains of NC wore out his ink pen giving me tickets for driving while Latino. I fought it the best I could, but I never had a chance.  My insurance with the G company that has the little green lizard in their commercials went from $600.00 a year to $4000.00 a year.  I couldn’t sell my car, I couldn’t keep it without insurance, and I couldn’t pay the insurance. I was so desperate that I went to the bank to ask them how to turn it in.

Then I found Ashlee at Brown-Phillips. She got me all the answers I needed almost immediately. She gave me coverage with a national company for about a third of what the G company demanded. When the G company wanted almost $200.00 to cancel my coverage, Ashlee helped me stop them from doing that as well.  I came to Ashlee in desperation. She saved my car and my credit. I will stay because of terrific service and amazing prices.

Thanks Ashlee and thanks to Brown-Phillips for helping me in an impossible situation.

For the sake of modesty (aw shucks, guys), I am not going to go on and on with these glowing reviews (no applause, please).  If you are interested in pages of reviews from satisfied customers, mosey on over to our website & check it out for yourself:

http://www.ifitsinsurance.com/insurance-customer-testimonials.html

I would just like to take a minute here to thank   The Academy   our amazing customers!  Without you guys, I wouldn’t be here.  I truly appreciate and enjoy working with every single one of the fine folks that posted glowing reviews (and the ones that haven’t as well!).  Heartfelt thanks to all of you for making me feel like I DO make a difference…one policy at a time.

How can we offer such low rates compared with other companies?

Is this too good to be true?

My current agent says this rate cannot be accurate.  How can you assure me that it is?

If I had a dollar for every time I heard these questions…I would have a pile o’ cash by now.

So let’s do this thing!  Let’s settle the mystery once and for all.

Yes, our rates are incredibly low for drivers in NC with DWI/DUI convictions.  Here’s how it breaks down:

The North Carolina Department Of Insurance (the insurance regulator for these parts) states that since the ‘financial responsibility’ laws of NC require all drivers to be covered by bodily injury and property damage coverage at the set minimum limits, no driver can be denied those minimum limits of coverage by any insurance carrier–regardless of driving history (or lack thereof).

Or, the short version:  No carrier in NC can refuse to offer state required liability coverage to any driver.

If the carrier does not wish to bear the risk of covering drivers that…ahem…do not meet their underwriting guidelines, the company will place those high risk drivers in the reinsurance facility.  This goes by the catchy phrase “ceded liability”.

Basically, most carriers in NC only offer DWI/DUI coverage as ceded liability–which is just a confusing way of saying they think you are a high risk driver & they are reinsuring your coverage through the NC Reinsurance Facility.   Essentially passing the buck in case of an accident, at a much higher rate.

This is where we are different.  Our carrier does not offer ceded liability for most drivers convicted of a DWI.  In fact, we are able to offer what’s known in the insurance world as a ‘voluntary’ rate.  That just translates into the lower-than-you-can-believe quotes that we sent to you by email or reviewed by phone.  Three cheers for Brown-Phillips Insurance!  Of course, if there are a ton of other violations, more than 1 DWI, or accidents, all bets are off.  But actuarial data shows over & over again that drivers with DWI convictions are actually more cautious and have less chance of violations in the future.   And who says that dark clouds don’t have silver linings?

So that’s it!  Mystery solved.  And all before afternoon snack time.  I love it when a plan comes together.

Still skeptical?  Don’t take my word for it!  We have loads of testimonials on our website from drivers that we turned into believers.  So come on in!  The water is fine.

What kind of person gets a DWI conviction?

A doctor?

A baker?

A candlestick maker?

The answer is yes, yes, and I’ve never met a candlestick maker.

The point is, there is no real stereotype about the “kind of person” that finds themselves convicted of a DWI.  I have DWI clients that are doctors, school teachers, machine operators, secretaries, retired police officers.  Yes.  An actual retired police officer.

Many clients are professionals.  Some are stay at home moms.  Some are unemployed, disabled, or retired.

There is no “one size fits all” criteria for drivers that make a bad choice or got caught in a bad situation…I have found that they are all just regular people.  Just like me.   Just like you.

How about you?  Do you have any preconceived stereotypes about drivers with DWI convictions?

Steve Jobs. What an amazing legacy.

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do,” he told the Stanford grads in 2005.

“If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on.”