Companies Are Discovering That Pittsburgh Is Good for Business

Not long ago we only used cell phones to make calls or send cryptic, short-hand text messages. Now, we rely on our phones for storing our contacts and calendar appointments, watching videos, checking email, managing our connected devices and, of course, keeping up on social media. In fact, phones have become such a crucial part of our lives that many people sleep with them.

So when your phone becomes lost, stolen, or damaged, it can send the most unflappable of us into a panic. Which is why, most industry experts agree, it is worth considering cell phone insurance.
For those who may still be on the fence about cell phone insurance, consider this:

1. Despite monthly premiums and deductibles, insurance can save owners money. The average retail price of a new smartphone is $590; even higher for a basic iPhone 7 ($649). More than 70 percent of phone claims are filed within the first year. This means that customers with phone insurance who file a claim at month 12 on an iPhone 7 can save $318 ' $342 on a replacement phone after premiums and deductibles.

2. Most after-market 'protection plans' are extended warranty plans which only cover accidental damage and malfunctions. Only a cell phone insurance and warranty bundle ' available through most wireless carriers ' covers loss, theft and damage. This is important because one in four phone claims last year were from loss or theft, according to the nation's leading mobile insurance provider Asurion.

3. Most cell phone insurance programs through wireless carriers include cracked screen repair for smartphones with a lower deductible than what you would pay for a replacement device, and often lower than a consumer would pay to take it to a repair shop.

4. Shoppers now pay the full cost of their phones either up front or in monthly installments. Those who have a loss or theft before they've paid off the installments will still have to make the remaining payments. What's more, without insurance you could be left with both the remaining installments and the payments for a new phone. With a 128 GB iPhone 7 Plus, at 6 months a customer could still owe nearly $700 on their old phone while trying to pay for a new one.

5. For the customer that can't imagine being without their beloved cell phone, most carrier cell phone insurance programs provide a replacement device the next day. Replacement devices through the major wireless carriers are backed by a 1-year warranty providing shoppers with peace of mind should they have any mechanical or electrical issues.

What You Have to Give Up to Pay for An Unexpected Hospital Visit?

We may all be one stomach bug away from an unexpected hospital visit. Accidents and illnesses can occur without warning, wreaking havoc on finances and negatively impacting everyday life, even with health insurance.

While many people have major medical insurance, rarely do they prepare for the additional financial impact of out-of-pocket costs even a short stay in the hospital can incur. The average length of a hospital stay is 4.6 days and costs $11,000, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

What would the average family have to give up to pay that type of medical bill ' eating out at restaurants for a year or more, weekly lawn service, maid service, pet grooming or family movie nights? No one should have to stress about the impact hospital visits and related expenses could have on everyday life.

That's why companies like Aflac have designed supplemental hospital indemnity insurance policies to help cover what major medical insurance may not. Hospital insurance provides additional coverage that can help protect individuals and families from potentially devastating medical expenses, allowing them to keep their lives on track.

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When specific events associated with a hospital visit occur, policyholders receive cash benefits that can be used to help cover everything from treatment costs to expenses that health insurance doesn't typically cover, such as, rent, gas, groceries, utilities, child care and other necessities.

Do your kids realize just how much money you're really worth once all your assets are added up? If they're anything like the adult offspring surveyed for Fidelity Investments Family & Finance Study, the answer is a resounding.

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That's right, by more than a quarter of a million dollars. The reason that's scary and why it should be a wake-up call for even those with modest estates they hope to pass on to heirs is simple:

It illustrates a breakdown in communications that Kevin Ruth, head of Fidelity's wealth planning and personal trust, says badly needs addressing through frank conversations' between parents and their adult children.

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We all want our kids to have movie-star smiles as adults. As parents, this means knowing how to protect their teeth when they're young, while ensuring that they practice good dental health care for a lifetime.

Because February is National Children's Dental Health Month, it's the perfect time to brush up on instilling good oral-hygiene habits.

Consider this: according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), nearly one in three children ages two to five years old in the U.S. are affected by tooth decay, which is one of the top chronic infectious diseases among children and can compromise their health, development, and quality of life in both the short and long term.*