February is National Pet Dental Health Month. There are many pet owners who do not understand the importance of caring for their pet’s teeth. However, a lack of dental care can lead to oral disease. In fact, it is estimated that seven out of 10 cats, and 80 percent of dogs have an oral disease.

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February is American Heart Month. There is a lot of information today about all of the things you can do to improve your heart health. All of this information can be overwhelming. However, there are many simple steps you can take to improve your heart health:

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Some Valentine’s Day gifts should be insured against theft, loss, or damage. Jewelry is one of the most popular types of gifts for this holiday that’s all about romance and love. A woman who receives an expensive ring or necklace would be smart to insure such an item. Most homeowner’s insurance policies provide limited coverage on personal possessions that are not considered to be fixtures of a property.

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As you approach retirement age, it’s important to evaluate all health care insurance options that may become available. After leaving your job, you will no longer be eligible to receive coverage through an employer-sponsored plan. It’s a good idea to apply for Medicare and receive maximum coverage for your healthcare expenses. However, Medicare does not cover 100 percent of all bills for senior citizens.

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Taking your pet outdoors in the cold weather is possible with the right preparation and awareness of your surroundings. When you have an animal who loves snow or colder weather, taking them for walks helps to get exercise while enjoying the outdoors, regardless of temperature.

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You’ve probably made New Year’s resolutions for many years, but how often have those resolutions included insurance related goals? If you take a moment to reflect on some of your previous resolutions, you may discover that there is actually a way that they connect to your various insurance policies. You might want to plan a review of your insurance coverage each year.

Health goals
New Year’s resolutions often involve some type of health concern. The resolution may relate to weight loss, breaking a habit, such as smoking, or getting more physically active. While you’re contemplating health goals, you should resolve to check out your health insurance plan. There may be a plan that fits your current needs better than the one you have. Life changes such as divorce, the birth of a baby, becoming an empty-nester, and other changes are good reasons to re-evaluate your health insurance.

Homeowners insurance
A beneficial resolution for the new year would be to meet with your insurance agent to discuss the amount of coverage you have and the amount you need. You want sufficient coverage, but you don’t want to pay for more coverage than you need. Various home improvements can reduce your insurance rate. That might be the incentive you need to follow through with home improvement resolutions, such as installing a security system or making other improvements that could make you eligible for discounts. You also want to be sure you’re covered for any home upgrades or investments in art or jewelry that you’ve made.

Life insurance
You will not benefit by procrastinating over obtaining life insurance. There is a direct connection between your age and the cost of a life insurance policy. You can include obtaining life insurance and long-term disability insurance in your health-related resolutions for the new year.
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The holiday season is finally around the corner, with parents, uncles, and aunts scrambling to purchase gifts for their little ones. While purchasing toys for that adorable 3-year old nephew may seem like a cakewalk, it isn’t so with many toys posing as serious health hazards. Before engaging in holiday shopping for your children, it is prudent to keep the following points in mind:

Avoid small objects, such as marbles: Worlds Against Toys Causing Harm, or W.A.T.C.H., warns parents not to purchase toys that contain small items, such as marbles, as they may lead to choking. While holiday shopping, avoid tiny magnet toys, as they are known to cause serious injuries and may even require you to rush to the emergency room.

Don’t purchase toys with cords or strings: By their very nature, children are inquisitive beings. Young kids tend to use cords and strings in hazardous ways. Serious strangulation risks ensue if you present long cords and strings to unsuspecting children.

Check warnings for lead content: High lead and cadmium levels can pose as serious threats to your child’s health. Always, always check for warnings at the back of the toy’s packaging in order to make an informed decision. Many companies take product liability seriously and provide abundant information about the toy.

At all times, buy age-appropriate toys: Some parents place toys meant for 8-year olds in the hands of 3-year olds. This is a big no-no, as certain toys are designed keeping in mind the child’s age. Purchasing a toy unsuitable for your child’s age may jeopardize their health and dampen the holiday spirit.

Give your child the present he wants, but make sure it’s harmless. If you wish to check whether a toy is child-friendly or not, review W.A.T.C.H’s worst toys of 2014 list.
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A fireplace can significantly boost a home’s ambiance, but there are some safety issues to consider when lighting up natural logs. The chimney should be routinely cleaned to make sure that harmful by-products of combustion can be properly exhausted. The accumulation of soot and other deposits inside the chimney might lead to harmful levels of carbon monoxide. Therefore, it’s important to install smoke detectors right near a fireplace. Such a sensor can detect the slightest presence of toxic carbon monoxide, which poses real safety concerns for people and pets.

The fireplace mantel should not be decorated with any combustible items. It’s important to keep anything that’s made of wood or paper far away from the fireplace. Some plastics might also heat up and melt away when exposed to open flames. Additionally, electronics can also be damaged if they are set within several feet of a burning fireplace. A flat screen TV shouldn’t be mounted above a fireplace. A metallic fireplace screen can also prevent sparks from flying onto nearby objects and furnishings. Sometimes, sparks can ignite the upholstery of furniture or carpets. Metal objects that are placed near a fireplace can heat up quickly and reach temperatures that will literally burn your hands or skin. When handling the metal tools and other accessories for a fireplace, always use insulated gloves that have reliable fireproof designs.

You should never throw anything else but firewood into a fireplace. Newspapers, magazines and other printed paper can cause some major problems when they’re burned inside a fireplace. The ink and dyes on such pieces of paper can release harmful gases that are just as dangerous as carbon monoxide. Only blank sheets of paper can be safely burned inside a fireplace. It might not even be safe to use unlabeled cardboard and other recycled paper products.
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Anyone who drives is required to hold some type of auto insurance. Something drivers are not always required to hold is uninsured and underinsured coverage. This type of insurance protects you if an accident occurs with an uninsured driver. Underinsured coverage protects you if the other driver has too little insurance. You should understand the importance of uninsured and underinsured coverage.

Millions of Uninsured Drivers Are On the Roads
The first reason uninsured and underinsured coverage is important is that there are millions of drivers on the road without proper insurance. The number of drivers without auto insurance is over 20 percent in several states. This means there is a very real chance that you could get into an accident with someone who does not have adequate insurance. Uninsured and underinsured driver policies can protect you in these situations.

Minimum Coverage Is Usually Insufficient
Many drivers purchase auto insurance that just barely meets the minimums mandated by the state. The reality is this type of minimum coverage is usually insufficient to pay for the damage done during a serious accident. You might not be able to get enough to cover your basic medical bills due to an underinsured driver. Having uninsured and underinsured coverage will make certain that your expenses are paid.

Recover Quickly After an Accident
A car accident can be very disruptive. You want to be able to return to a normal life as soon after the accident as possible. This can be very difficult if the driver had no insurance or too little coverage. It might take you months or longer to recover any money from the liable party. You might never recover anything even after pursuing litigation. If you have uninsured and underinsured coverage, then you will be able to recover quickly after an accident without having to worry about legal expenses and civil trials.
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Connecting to the Internet can heighten your vulnerability to cyber-attacks. In addition to credit numbers, hackers can gain access to your tax returns and pass codes. They may even be able to totally disable your computer by infecting it with a virus. The following tips and strategies can help you avoid these issues.

Re-Think Your Passwords
Putting obvious words and codes as your passwords can make it easy for a hacker to gain entrance into your computer. You can strengthen your pass codes by incorporating special characters, numbers, and capitalizing letters.

Secure Email
Email is a viable way to stay in contact with family members, friends, and business associates. However, it can leave your computer unprotected and open to viruses. While you may have a trusted anti-virus program on your computer, your email recipients may not. You should also take care and never send your social security, credit card, and other important numbers through cyber-space.

Stay Alert to Phishing Scams
This method of fraudulent behavior uses fake Internet sites to gain access to your personal information. Most individuals think the businesses are legitimate and click on the links attached to the email. If you don’t recognize the address associated with the email, it’s best to delete it.

Shopping Safety
The Internet has made it easy to shop from the comforts of your computer. While it may be nice not having to travel from store to store, you need to ensure that the places you shop online are secure, especially when you use your credit card to purchase items. Symbols to look for at check-out include the locked padlock icon and a statement that reassures its customers that the site is secure.

Online Games and Activities
In addition to shopping, email, and work, most individuals use their PC for recreational purposes. Before you communicate with other gaming activity members, you want to make sure that your security software is up and running when you play games.
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