Whether you‘re the owner of a dog or cat, you‘ve probably thought about purchasing medical insurance to protect your pet. Is it something every pet owner should have, and if so, which provider offers the best option?

With advancements in veterinary medicine, veterinarians are now able to offer treatments for health conditions that were once considered fatal for most pets. But with these medical advancements come increased veterinary costs. These increased costs can put a burden usually exceeding the family’s budget, causing most families to make the heart breaking decision of putting a family pet down.

Pet health insurance will help you provide your puppy, kitten, dog, or cat with the best medical care possible. Knepper Insurance Group is pleased to be affiliated with Trupanion Pet Insurance, the second-largest and fastest growing pet insurance provider in the country.

Why Trupanion Pet Insurance?

Trupanion is an affordable way to help protect your pet and yourself. Providing affordable pet medical insurance coverage for cats and dogs who enroll between the ages of eight weeks and 14 years of age, Trupanion will insure them for their entire life.

Top three reasons to choose Trupanion:

One Simple Plan – Pet health insurance can get pretty complicated when you have to sort through several plans and levels. Trupanion wants to make pet insurance simple and easy to understand. Our comprehensive policy covers surgeries, diagnostic tests, medications, treatments and hospital stays if your pet gets sick or injured. We also reimburse from your actual veterinary bill so you don’t have to worry about a predetermined benefit schedule.

90% Coverage – Trupanion covers 90% of actual veterinary costs for approved accident and illness claims, less the exam fee and optional deductible. Full 90% coverage is available at any veterinary clinic, emergency care center or specialty hospital.

No Payout Limit – With Trupanion, your pet receives unlimited lifetime healthcare coverage. Trupanion does not impose any per incident limits, annual limits, or lifetime limits on the amount of care your pet can receive.

Protect your dog or cat by enrolling at Trupanion Pet Insurance or by clicking on the Trupanion ad at www.knepperinsurance.com.

If you have any questions or need additional information about Trupanion, contact Sue Miller at 814-445-7971 or sem@knepperinsurance.com.

Does FMLA leave run concurrently with a workers’ compensation absence?

Yes, when the injury is one that meets the criteria for a “serious health condition.” Thus, an employee could receive workers’ compensation benefits to replace lost wages, while at the same time having health benefits maintained under the FMLA.

Can an employer require an employee to substitute  accrued paid leave if the employee is on workers’ compensation and FMLA leave?

Since the workers’ compensation absence is already considered paid leave, the FMLA provision for substitution of the employee’s accrued paid leave for unpaid FMLA leave does not apply.

 What benefits is an employee entitled to while on concurrent workers’ compensation and FMLA leave?

The employee is entitled to all employment benefits accrued prior to the date on which the leave commenced. The FMLA does not entitle the employee to the accrual of any seniority or employment benefits during any period of FMLA leave, nor to any right, benefit or position of employment other than that to which he or she would have been entitled had the employee not taken the leave.

How may an employee on concurrent workers’ compensation and FMLA leave pay for group health coverage? 
The employee must make arrangements with the employer for payment of group health plan benefits when simultaneously taking unpaid FMLA leave. It is important that these arrangements are made in advance of the leave since the FMLA provision for recovery of the employer’s share of health insurance premiums does not apply.

What may an employer do if it questions the adequacy of a medical certification?

The employer may have direct contact with the employee’s health care provider in the manner in which the workers’ compensation statute provides. The revised FMLA regulations also provide that an employer can contact an employee’s health care provide to authenticate or obtain clarification of the medical certification, so long as the employer has first given the employee a chance to cure any deficiencies.

Is an employee required to return to a “light duty” job when it is not the same or equivalent to the job the employee left?   

The employee may decline the employer’s offer of a light duty job if it is not the same or is not equivalent to the job the employee left. However, as a result of turning down the job, the employee may lose workers’ compensation payments, but is entitled to remain on unpaid FMLA leave until the FMLA entitlement is exhausted.

What happens to an employee on concurrent workers’ compensation and FMLA leave once the FMLA leave entitlement has run out?

The employee no longer has the protections of the FMLA and must look to the workers’ compensation statute or to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (if the employee is a “qualified individual with a disability”) for any further relief or protections.

The author, Jim Knepper, is a Professional Work Comp Advisor (PWCA) at Knepper Insurance Group and specializes in designing Workers Compensation programs for businesses. This article is one in a series of articles offering information particular to Workers Compensation.

For more information regarding Workers Compensation, contact Jim at jgk@knepperinsurance.com

After years of saving and planning, you’re finally ready to remodel your home. Before you call a contractor, review your current homeowner’s policy to make sure you have enough coverage to protect your assets throughout the renovation process.

Important information to keep in mind:

• Inform your home insurance agent about your remodeling plans. Your agent can help you sort out coverage needs.

• Know who is responsible for uninstalled appliances and other items, such as carpets and cabinets, in advance. Your contractor’s insurance should cover these items.

• If you are concerned about medical bills should a family member or friend be injured while helping out with the renovations, a personal liability umbrella policy can pick up the bills where your home insurance policy leaves off.

• If you’re hiring a contractor, check with the Better Business Bureau and follow up on references. Ask for proof of workers compensation and contractor’s liability insurance.

• Having people you don’t know working in your home can increase the risk of theft. Your agent can help you protect your valuable personal property with a policy to meet your needs.

Make Knepper Insurance Group a part of your home improvement plans — contact us for a free consultation today.

 The first step homebuyers should make after signing a purchase-and-sales agreement is to meet with an insurance agent. Provide the agent with a copy of the real estate listing, the purchase-and-sales agreement and the name and address of the lender. Review the information in detail with the agent and answer all questions completely and honestly. This is critical when determining the amount and type of coverages needed.

Be sure your property is insured at “replacement cost value:” That is, what the cost would be to rebuild in today’s market.  The actual price of the home does not accurately reflect the replacement cost, as it may include many things that insurance does not cover, such as land, waterfront, septic, or landscaping.

Your lender will want the replacement cost limit of your insurance to be as close to the mortgage amount as possible, so an onsite inspection may be required. Be sure to request copies of any inspections or appraisals done by your insurance carrier or your lender.

At time of closing, make sure you have a copy of your insurance binder, which certifies that you have procured the proper insurance for the property. Most lenders will not close on a property unless a binder has been issued.

Most homeowners policies will cover a certain amount of personal property in addition to the structure. However, many items are not covered, such as fine arts, some jewelry, photographic equipment, computer equipment, boats, specialty tools and more. Review all your possessions with your agent to determine whether you’ll need additional coverage to protect these items.

Homeowners should also consider some optional coverages available. Talk with your agent about flood or wind storm coverage and what to do to best protect your property.

 When making an investment in a new home, be sure you protect it with adequate insurance and risk management. For more information, contact the professionals at Knepper Insurance today.

Your health is way too important to leave to chance. That’s why it’s critical that you have health insurance and that it is the right fit for you and your family. Unfortunately, millions of Americans do not know if their health insurance plan will cover their needs—or how to secure better coverage.

A good health insurance plan—one that covers every potential need—goes a long way toward providing peace of mind and helping avoid a financial burden that otherwise would saddle you and your family with payment of major medical expenses. Ideally, you should have a more comprehensive plan that provides coverage for hospital, surgical or routine medical expenses. But, at minimum, your health insurance policy should cover major medical expenses resulting from catastrophic illness or injury.

Many Americans secure health insurance through their employer; others are not so lucky. But even if you have a primary policy, be aware that group benefit plans do not always provide all the coverage for your needs. You may want supplemental insurance or a health savings account (HSA) to help fill the gaps.

For those purchasing their own primary or secondary health insurance policy, the options can seem confusing and expensive. So, how do you know if your health plan is a good fit for you? Here are some tips:
 

1. Evaluate your family’s needs. Consider your family’s lifestyle and medical history, and try to anticipate life-stage health events, such as braces for your pre-teen and glasses for your self. Wife turning 40? That means mammograms every year.
2. Prioritize those needs. For example, vision care may be a good benefit for your family, but not as essential as a prescription-drug plan. List your must-haves as well as your nice-to-haves.
3. Review plan options. For each plan you are considering, ask about key coverage provisions: Does the policy cover major medical expenses only? If your family needs preventive, dental and vision care, does the plan provide them? Does it include a prescription drug plan? Do any of these must-haves need to be purchased separately? Are your current doctors in the plan? Does a family member have a pre-existing condition and will the plan cover it?
4. Determine your costs. Premiums are not the only costs you should consider when looking at a health insurance plan. Take into account the expenses you may have to assume beyond paying the premium, such as deductibles, coinsurance and co-payments. Are there added costs for using an out-of-plan doctor or hospital? Consider increasing your deductible for a lower monthly premium.
5. Consider an HSA or FSA. An HSA provides two benefits: a tax write-off and a health coverage benefit. The health benefit provides coverage when you are sick or injured and the savings mechanism allows you to accumulate funds that you can use to pay for care for illnesses or injuries not covered by your insurance. An added benefit of an HSA is that both the cost of the health plan and your contributions are tax-deductible. Similarly, a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) allows you to set aside pre-tax dollars to cover medical expenses, which can help lower your taxes.
6. Know the differences of PPOs & HMOs. Individuals in a health maintenance organization (HMO) must choose a primary-care physician from a provider network. This physician is responsible for routine medical care and must refer you to specialists. HMOs typically provide no coverage for services from physicians outside the network. Meanwhile, individuals in preferred provider organizations (PPO) do not choose a primary care doctor and do not need referrals. They can obtain coverage from physicians outside the network but the PPO likely will reimburse less for the services. PPOs require deductibles and co-payments; HMOs don’t have deductibles but participants must pay co-payments. Again, be sure your family’s doctors are in the plan you select.
7. Get coverage today. Health insurance, much like life insurance, is usually less expensive for younger people. So, get your coverage now to secure a lower premium and be sure to maintain your coverage.
8. Use it. Use your insurance for preventive care and wellness to decrease your risk of needing more serious medical treatment. Schedule routine doctor visits and get the regular tests that physicians advise for your age and condition. Take advantage of the discounts offered by some plans for gyms and weight-loss programs. Seek help for smoking or alcohol abuse.
9. Don’t let it lapse. If you lose or leave your job, you may be eligible to take advantage of a COBRA plan. Even though you’ll be footing the whole bill for your health insurance, you’ll be getting the employer’s group rate and retaining coverage for 18 months. If you go without insurance for more than 60 days, it can be trickier and more expensive to purchase health insurance down the road.
10. Stay current. Coverage can be affected by life’s changes—if you get married or divorced, for example. And keep in mind that your children will not be covered by your plan indefinitely; generally dependent children lose coverage at 19 (or 22 if a full-time student).

 With so many options and pitfalls to consider, contact Knepper Insurance to ensure you are securing the most appropriate coverage for you and your family.

Standard homeowners policies do not cover the damage to your home and its contents caused by flooding. A separate flood insurance policy is required. The government advises that nearly 20% of flood damage claims come from moderate-to-low flood risk areas. Also, you don’t need to live near a body of water to be at risk, as heavy rains can cause flooding. Floods are the #1 natural disaster in the United States. Knepper Insurance Group is the area’s #1 insurance broker. We urge you to contact us by clicking this link for a FREE flood insurance policy quote. Act fast as there is a 30-day waiting period on new policies!

Here are three reasons why you always should insure heavy equipment with an inland marine policy from Knepper Insurance.

1.         Costs associated with heavy equipment theft exceed $1 billion, according to the National Equipment Register (NER). This includes direct and indirect losses, such as rentals.

2.         The major reasons for the increase in heavy-equipment theft are the value of the equipment and its ease of sale. “Lack of site security” is the top reason why thieves seem attracted to heavy equipment.

3.         There isn’t much of a deterrent for heavy-equipment theft. Thieves also know that the penalties are fairly light if they are caught. The equipment is very difficult to trace and is recovered less than 15% of the time. (Stolen autos are recovered 60% of the time.)

 According to the NER, heavy-equipment owners should register their equipment immediately. The next step is to consider your insurance coverage. An inland marine policy may be your best defense against financial loss due to heavy-equipment thieves. For more information, contact Knepper Insurance today.

Most hazards will involve property that will attract children, but are extremely dangerous when handled improperly. They create a special obligation for homeowners to properly secure and protect them. Examples are:

• swimming pools
• trampolines
• empty buildings
• appliances kept outside
• excavations
• construction materials

All of these can lure children onto property and they all have the potential to cause serious injury.

Children do not have the reasoning ability of adults. A property owner will not escape liability because the child was trespassing.

Here’s how you protect yourself:                                      
Do whatever it takes to prevent a child’s access to the property. You can:

1. Eliminate the property:

• have old appliances hauled to a junk yard
• tow old, non-running vehicles away
• get rid of construction materials immediately after a building project is complete

2. Secure the property

• take off doors or covers from large appliances awaiting garbage pickup
• keep sharp tools, especially power tools and equipment, locked away
• store construction materials in a garage or shed

3. Reduce the chance for injury

• install a pool cover and have a locked fence to prevent access to pool
• do not allow younger children to use equipment such as trampolines
• make sure there’s adult supervision of children using play equipment

If you’re not certain about whether you have an attractive nuisance situation, contact Knepper Insurance to discuss the situation.

Make Sure Those Valuable Holiday Gifts Are Protected

Did you receive new computer equipment this holiday season? How about a new piece of jewelry? Musical instruments, high quality cameras, golf clubs and even fine art are popular gift items.  If you were given a valuable gift, you need to take the necessary steps to protect it against loss.  Although most homeowners insurance covers a certain amount of personal property, many high-value items are excluded from your policy.

Here are some items that Knepper Insurance thinks you should consider getting additional insurance on include:

• Jewelry
• Furs
• Cameras
• Musical instruments
• Silverware
• Golfer’s equipment
• Fine arts
• Collectable stamps
• Rare and current coins
• Computer equipment

Ask your insurance agent about protecting these possessions with what’s called a Scheduled Personal Property Endorsement, or a Personal Articles Floater. These endorsements allow your agent to list each article separately, and assign a specific value to them for which they will be covered.  Be sure to talk with your agent about the true cost of your gift. Most endorsements insure for actual cash value or cost of repair. This won’t cover the total cost if you need to replace the item down the road. If you want to make sure coverage is adequate to replace it, you may want to opt for an agreed value loss settlement. That means that you and your insurance company agree on a certain amount to be paid in the event of a loss instead of the standard amount listed on the endorsement.  Fine arts are almost always insured under an agreed value, as they are usually unique and their value is difficult to determine.  As with most insurance policies, there are some things that aren’t covered, like damage due to wear and tear, or damage caused by insects. Ask us about any exceptions in your policy.

For more information about protecting your valuable possessions, contact your insurance agent or Knepper Insurance.  We can offer expert advice on how best to insure your most prized possessions against loss.

 The holiday travel season is fast approaching and many people will be on the roads. Last year more than 35 million people traveled during the Thanksgiving holiday, with almost as many traveling during the Christmas week. With more people choosing to drive instead of fly, you’ll need to be extra careful on the roads.

Here are some quick tips to make your journey safe and sound.

Check Road Conditions and Weather Reports. Even if the forecast is good, winter weather can change quickly. Check weather conditions not only in your home town, but log onto weather.com to check the forecast for the town you’re traveling to. Check the Federal Highway Administration’s Web site for up-to-the-minute traffic information, detours and road construction. Planning for delays or looking for alternative routes can save you time and a lot of hassle.

Emergency Snow Kit. Even the best planning may not allow you to avoid wintry driving conditions. Pack an emergency snow kit, and keep it in your car. Include a snow scraper and brush, a flashlight, blankets, booster cables, a shovel, kitty litter, flares, emergency triangles and a first aid kit. While you may never have to use these items, you’ll be glad you have them in the event of an emergency.

Winter Check Up. The last thing you want to do is break down, whether it’s on a deserted back road or on a busy interstate highway. So make sure to have a certified mechanic check your oil level, tire pressure, windshield wipers, heater, defroster, antifreeze and brakes before you head out on icy and snowy roads.

Buckle up. Sounds like a no-brainer, but many motorists fail to use this basic safety essential. Thanksgiving weekend is one of the most dangerous and deadliest times of the year to travel, don’t let yourself or your loved ones become a “Thanksgiving statistic.”

Do Not Over Eat. We all know we’re guilty of this…over indulging in holiday treats can make you feel uncomfortable and sometimes groggy for the ride home. If you have a long journey ahead, consider cutting back on the goodies and have a cup of coffee or a caffeinated soda to help perk you up for the trip home.

Do Not Drink and Drive. Another no-brainer. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more people are killed in drinking and driving accidents during Thanksgiving weekend than during New Year’s Day weekend.

Review Your Auto Insurance Policy. Make sure you know what is and is not covered in your plan.

Knepper Insurance wants to keep you and your family safe this Holiday Season!