Business Spotlight
Look, a landmark! Oh wait, it’s just a farmer’s building remind us where to turn…I cannot be the only one who uses the cues "turn left at the huge yellow shop." My husband would roll his eyes and ask me if I learned my cardinal directions, but I’ve come this far using landmarks… Anyways, because I am so great at giving directions, Moravian Builders, LLC decided they should help me out by building some post frame buildings all over North Dakota! Mirek and his team have been building industrial and agriculture buildings for over 5 years now.
They can construct cold storage buildings, or a heated shop. When I asked Mirek how far he would travel for a project, he answered saying this job has surprised him with the opportunity to see every corner of our beautiful state! They love to keep it local, but some projects are just a little too far from home. This crew of 6-8 people is typically booked out by the season, so some projects are a year ahead in the calendar. If you want to learn more, you can find Moravian Builders, LLC on Facebook or you could call Mirek at 570-994-3675 for more information.
Posted on April 22nd, 2024
Recipe of the Month
Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 pound shrimp
Salt and pepper
2 bell peppers diced
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 cloves garlic minced
1 can pineapple chunks, or fresh!
2 cups leftover rice
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons pineapple juice
Instructions:
You will heat a large skillet over medium heat and add half of your olive oil and half of you sesame oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, add your raw shrimp. Salt and pepper to taste and cook for one minute per side. Remove the shrimp into a bowl and set aside for now. Add the reimaging olive oil to the skillet and add the bell peppers. Cook and stir for 2 min until soft, then add in your sliced green onions and garlic. Next, add your leftover rice to the pan, stir gently, then spread the rice into a single layer. Cook the rice for 2-3 min. Then, mix in your pineapple chunks and sauce mixture and return the shrimp to the pan. Serve immediately!
Posted on April 22nd, 2024
Claim Corner
April is National Pet Month and it’s time to think about those fur babies...your pets of course! We know your pets are family. When they get sick or injured, it can be a stressful time. That’s where pet insurance comes in. It can help by covering some of the costs of your pet’s covered and approved vet bills. Pet insurance, however, does not cover everything. Our insured came in a while back which stiches along his jawline. I knew it had to be either a facelift or a dog bite. He had attempted to move his dog away from him while he slept and his puppy snapped at him unfortunately, ending with a trip to the emergency room. Our insured still lived at home with his parents but had his own renters policy. So who pays for the doctor bill? When it comes to pets and you are the owner, coverage does not apply to you if you are a household member. If our insured’s dog would of bit a guest, his homeowners liability insurance coverage would have taken effect. It is also worth noting, the pet damage does not have to happen in your home. It can be at another location and your insurer will generally pay the victims medical bills plus any legal expenses, up to the limits of your policy. Pet insurance can be purchased in addition so you are more fully covered if your furry companion needs medical attention.
Pet insurance may include the following:
· Accidents and illness Diagnostic testing/X rays
· Vet-prescribed medication Alternative therapies
· Surgeries/hospitalizations and emergency car
Posted on April 22nd, 2024
Why are Rates Climbing?
By Amy Streifel
There are many shortcuts in life. We use them everyday in different aspects, but mostly to gain something. You can gain time when you take a shortcut on a road. You can gain quantity by adding broth to make more soup. (Thanks mom). I look for shortcuts all the time. In the grocery store, I buy a different brand as a money shortcut. So naturally, I look for shortcuts on my insurance. Are there any? Sure, but is it really a shortcut in the long run? In my experience, it never pays to skimp on your insurance. I’d like to make a shoutout to my kids. Without them, I would never have any examples to share with our customers. Case in point, recently I saw the rate increase on my own auto insurance and thought I would drop some coverage as a way to save money. A few weeks later, my lovely daughter, in an attempt to save a kitten from getting run over, swerved and hit another vehicle. The joke was on me. I could not put in a claim because I dropped coverages as a shortcut to save money. But at least that kitten lived another day. As an independent agent, we work with a lot different carriers and are seeing the changes across the board with our different policies. We are seeing anywhere from 9-20% as a normal average increase. What is driving the rate increases? The cost to rebuild homes is up dramatically due to the rising cost of materials and labor. Carriers simply can’t survive paying these higher prices without charging more themselves. The cost of home repairs is not the only thing increasing. The cost to repair your car is up 20%! This is due to the rising cost of auto parts and labor to fix cars. In addition, vehicle parts now include more technology features, which are harder and more expensive to repair.
So, what can we do? The good news in all this is there definitely are things we can do to offset the increasing prices of insurance. Almost every insurance company has discounts. You can get discounts such as good students, defensive driving course discounts, paperless discounts, safe driving discounts and more. Another big way you can save money is to increase your deductible. I have seen people save hundreds of dollars just by increasing a home or auto deductible.
Here are some more ways to save:
Þ Maintain a good driving record. Those claims and tickets affect your premium and can even limit which companies will accept your insurance.
Þ Explore payments options-there are discounts for paying in full
Þ Improve your credit score-your score has an impact on your premium
Þ Bundle your policies-another way to get a discount
Þ Learn how to save with teen drivers-if they get a good grades, you get is discount
Þ Participate in low-mileage driving programs
Þ Compare auto insurance quotes. At Nuline we are always watching for the best rates, but if you are unsure, just ask! We have several carriers and are happy to check them for you!
Þ The types of vehicles you drive are more or less expensive depending on the type and what safety features it has. It’s good practice to check out the insurance rate before you buy.
Posted on April 22nd, 2024
Business Spotlight
Our February Business Spotlight is 701 Healthcare Solutions!
Have you found yourself looking for someone to assist you with your health insurance needs? We have found you a "solution!" Pictured above are April, McKenna and Tanner. McKenna (middle—Owner/Broker) found there to be a lack of a local resource for helping people with their health insurance needs. I mean, we all know how confusing the different plans are and how does one keep track of changes from year to year? It is so complex! This is FREE health insurance guidance! How can we go wrong here!? They pride themselves on offering excellent customer service and giving honest advice so you can be informed and understand your coverage. Having a local person to call when you have questions is priceless when you consider sitting on hold and talking to different representatives with the insurance companies. They work with several different Health Insurance carriers like Blue Cross, United, Sanford, Delta and Medica just to name a few. This team is here to explore the different plans for your specific needs, whether you are an individual, family or in need of a group plan. A lot of people do not understand Medicare and what they are signing up for, and these guys are here to help with that. They can also do an annual review of your prescriptions to compare the drug plans to make sure you are on the correct one. They can review family plans through the marketplace to see if you qualify for a rebate, which a lot of people aren’t aware of. Some of the other coverages offered are dental, vision, disability and long term care plans as well!
701 Healthcare Solutions is located at 24 1st St. NE, Minot ND 58703 in the 701 Realty building. McKenna and Tanner are also licensed Realtors!
You can contact them at 701-852-CARE(2273) or
via email info@701healthins.com
They have a Website 701healthins.com and also a Facebook page.
Give them a call today, they are informed and ready to answer your questions!
Posted on February 2nd, 2024
Recipe of the Month
Sausage Queso Dip
Its Super Bowl Time! I don’t know what's better, the game or the food!
Ingredients:
1 lb ground pork sausage, make sure it says "sausage"
8 oz cream cheese, (no need to soften)
20 oz Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, (two 10oz cans)
15 oz can of corn, drained
8 oz medium cheddar cheese, shredded
Garnish for Queso Dip:
1 Roma tomato, diced
1Tbsp chives or green onion, finely chopped
In a large dry pot or deep skillet med/high, brown sausage (10-12 min), breaking it apart with spatula (the sausage releases enough oil to grease pan.) When browned, remove excess grease by pushing a paper towel around the pan with a spatula until fully saturated then discard.
Cut cream cheese into pieces and stir into browned pork until melted and incorporated. Add 2 cans un-drained Rotel tomatoes, 15 oz can drained corn and 8 oz cheese (reserve some cheddar to garnish the top if desired). Cook over med heat, garnish with fresh tomatoes, reserved cheddar, and chopped chives. Serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!
Posted on February 2nd, 2024
Claim Corner
The Ring Was Where?
By: Amy Streifel
Valentine’s Day is soon approaching ladies! You know what that means…..go get your nails done. You'll want them looking great for possible engagement ring pictures. So fast forward through the beautiful wonderful once in a lifetime engagement and now you have the ring. This was an insured of ours. She had a big ole rock. He husband obviously wasn't an insurance agent. Joking! Anyway, it happened at a family dinner. She has a big family and they love to get together and have big meals. The preparations had begun and there was a feast like you can’t imagine. At dinner, our insured went to grab her engagement ring, which she always took off for cooking. It was missing and she couldn't remember if she had removed it or not. The search was on. There were many hours of looking and many tears. Her fiancé, who had forgotten to add it to his insurance policy yet, was staying clear. There was only one place they hadn't looked. She ran back to the table where the food sat cold and grabbed the turkey she had prepared. She went elbow deep into that bird pulling out the innards. Stuck together in a pile of stuffing, she felt it. When she pulled it out everyone was relieved, especially the fiancé, whose first call on Monday morning was to our insurance office. People add jewelry to their insurance policies everyday, especially pieces that are of high value. Adding your jewelry not only gives you piece of mind, it’s protection for all causes of loss. Its very easy to misplace or even have your valuables stolen. We had another insured last week that lost a single diamond out of her ring. Because she had it scheduled on her homeowners policy, she was protected. The best part, generally speaking, is you can choose a separate deductible, which can be zero with many companies for your jewelry claim. Also, by scheduling it, you are not subject to the perils of the policy, so whatever happens to the ring, it is covered! Our couple got lucky in their instance because they found it. They especially got lucky because our insured joked that after the turkey she would have to go looking in some not so fun places…...
Posted on February 2nd, 2024
How Well Do You Know Your Contractor?
By Amy Streifel
A couple years ago, I was in desperate need of a contractor. As you may know, they are not easy to come by these days. They are generally booked out so far in advance, you have to be booking months ahead of time. I had a project I just needed to get done. It was the removal of a building and possibly putting up another in its place. Every day I sent messages and made calls to contractors, even into the neighboring states. Finally I got a bite. A gentleman from Minnesota answered my ad and could start in a week. I was beyond excited. Over the phone we didn't go into a lot of detail, but he was cheaper than anticipated and available so I hired him. I told my husband at the time and his question was, what are his qualifications. I thought about it, "well, he said he's a contractor and has lots of experience". Looking back I am kicking myself for not verifying that information. A week later, true to his word, he pulled into my yard. It should have been a red flag that he pulled up in a camper, but I didn't question it. I showed him the big barn that needed to be demolished and asked where his equipment was. He proceeded to hold up a single hammer………
He wasn't getting paid by the hour so I didn't ask any more questions. He started his work that day with his single hammer and made little progress. The next day when I questioned why he had not left my property all night, he informed me he would live in his camper in my yard until the job was done. This should have been another red flag. Feeling slightly uncomfortable but optimistic, my family just made the best of it. After a month, we joked he was part of the family. It took him a good month to take down 1/3 of the barn. I was beginning to get worried he wouldn't finish the job. A couple of times I saw him fall through floor boards. I panicked and asked to see his contract. There was no contract. That was also concerning. One day, I got home from work and our contractor was MIA. Camper was gone along with some good lumber. It was in that moment I thought about all the red flags. The barn was a mess and only partially done. My yard was a mess of lumber he had been pulling off. Thankfully I had not yet paid him. Needless to say, it was a lesson well learned. DO YOUR HOMEWORK. If you are entrusting someone to come into your home and to treat the job with the respect it deserves, make sure that person is reliable. And most importantly…..a real contractor.
In a typical homeowner policy, the contractor’s work is not a covered loss. Making sure your contractor is licensed and insured is very important! At NuLine we insure many contractors of all different trades so we know first hand the types of things that can happen. We did have an insured who used a contractor to put in a patio door. The contractor did not install it correctly and now there are issues of leaking and damage to flooring. Unfortunately his home policy will not cover this. He would need to go back to the contractor in this situation. It can turn costly if the contractor doesn’t have insurance and isn’t willing to make it right!
Do’s & Don’ts of Hiring a Contractor:
Þ DO: Require a contract and understand it.
Þ Don’t: Forget to ask for references in the area.
Þ Do: Only work with licensed contractors.
Þ Don’t: Rush into repairs or hire the 1st contractor that comes along.
Þ Do: Ask for a copy of their insurance.
Þ Don’t: Pay until the work is complete and you are satisfied.
Posted on January 9th, 2024
I’ll be DAMNED!
By Amy Streifel
Its nearing the beginning of December and there's not much snow! A lot of us would love this weather all winter, but we know what's coming. I think back to last winter. The snowbanks were over my head. I specifically remember a time I told the kids to watch for me as I was going to brave walking around to the back of my house. No one had walked back there since fall and it was snow half way up the side of the house. As I was walking I could see my kids watching out the window. Do you know what they saw? An avalanche of snow fall off the roof right on top of me. You'd think their initial reaction would be checking my safety, but as I climbed out and into the house they were rolling on the floor laughing….Why was I behind the house you may ask? I have seen and heard too many horror stories in my time being an insurance agent of ice dams. Ice dams not taken care of can literally destroy homes and you’ll be saying more than damn if it happens to you. They occur when heavy snow buildup melts during the day and then refreezes overnight. When this happens the buildup can become very heavy. If not taken care of, they can fall off the roof, taking your gutters with them. We have seen it happen on several homes. And that’s just the damage to the outside. Unfortunately, there are many times, your ceiling and walls may be compromised. Ice builds up under the shingles and gets into the interior walls, then the walls cave in.
The good news is that ice dams are preventable. One main thing you can do is use a snow rake to get the snow off of your roof. De-icing cables are another great way to get that moisture moving through your gutters instead of freezing in them. Making sure your attic is thoroughly insulated also helps. These are just a few things to try. If you do what you can to prevent ice dams, you will save yourself a lot of time and money. Depending on your homeowners policy, the dwelling coverage may cover the cost to repair ice dam damage. That may include repairing your roof, walls and other damage to the structure of your home up to your coverage limits. However, depending on your coverage, you may have out of pocket expenses, such as the actual removal of the ice dam, or if you damaged the shingles trying to get the ice dam removed yourself. As always, this is great scenario to discuss with your insurance agent to make sure you have coverages you are comfortable with.
Posted on January 9th, 2024
Western ReCreations
Do you have an old piece of furniture that needs some western flare added? Check out the work Tammy Tollefson does as a hobby! Tammy launched Western ReCreations in Churches Ferry, ND five years ago to keep her hobbies alive and now the hobby has turned into quite a list of projects that leads to some late nights in the shop! Tammy visits about 6 markets a year in North Dakota, Montana and South Dakota. They have pieces on hand but also take in custom orders. However, the list is long so if you have something in mind, better to get on the list now. You can never rush an artist if you want a true piece of art!
Some of the pieces Tammy has worked on date 100 years old and her hope is that they live on 100+ more. As she is working with a piece, she likes to think about the stories it could tell. She said, "if these pieces could talk, think of all they could tell." Throughout all the restoring they use leather, hair on leather, and Navaho blankets. They use a lot of turquoise, fringe, and buttons to give every piece its unique flare. With the wood, it is sealed with three coats of clear sealant, so the new owner has basic care requirements which is such a treat! The best way to get in touch with Tammy is through Western ReCreations Facebook page. Here are a few pieces but you will have to explore the page for more.
Posted on January 9th, 2024