Happy Birthday America! (P.S. Thanks, France)

Eli and Jake Davenport celebrating the 4th of July!

Hopefully your July 4th weekend was a blast, and hopefully it was work-free.  I’ve decided to keep this post “work-free” as well, since it’s the day after July 4th.  In the spirit of our nation’s birthday, I have compiled a list of interesting July 4th facts from around the web for you to entertain yourself with:

We’ve Been Growing…

2.5 million
Estimated population of our nation on July 1776
311.7 million
Population of our nation on July 4th, 2011
Source: Cenus.gov

Did You See Fireworks Yesterday?

197.3 million
Amount in dollars of fireworks imported into U.S. in 2010
190.7 million
Amount in dollars of fireworks imported into U.S. from China in 2010
Source: Chiff

Who Says France Doesn’t Like America?

90%
Percentage of gunpowder the Patriots used in the war that came from France. Wow.
Source: CBS News

Did you grill burgers and dogs? Or Chicken?  (unless you’re a vegetarian)

6.5 billion
Total production in pounds of cattle and calves in Texas in 2008
4.6 billion
Total production in pounds of cattle and calves in Nebraska in 2008
Source: Washington Post

So, tell us, how was your (hopefully) work-free July 4th weekend?  Did you thank any Frenchmen for all of that gunpowder? (Personally, I like french fries and appreciate them for “inventing” that.)

Travelers Travels With You

Travelers recently released an Auto Accident Help app for the Android smartphone. This release is their third installment of insurance apps for smartphones; they already have apps for the iPhone and Blackberry smartphones.

Travelers’ Auto Accident Help app for the iPhone and now Android, as well as their Quick Connect app for the Blackberry, enable users to file accident reports at the scene of the accident. The app automatically detects date, time and location of accident and easily guides you through the necessary steps for documenting and submitting your claim. It allows you to take picture of the accident, as well as record an audio description. All of this electronic evidence is then attached to an organized accident report.

Two great features of this app are the ability to input your insurance agent’s contact information into the app, as well as the ability to use this app for companies other than Travelers. To input your agent’s information to the app, just follow Travelers’ easy instructions here. You do not have to do anything special to use the app for other companies; you can send the claim information to any email address. However, if you are using the app for a Travelers claim, you are able to begin the claim immediately.

View the app on the Travelers website and give it a try!

Render Your Health Insurance Useless

My friend is a roofer and, on those “dog days” of summer, uses a little trick to beat the heat: he gets to the job before 5:30 AM.  The sooner he arrives, the less he has to work in the sweltering heat, and the faster he can be back in the air conditioning at home.

I love helping people as an insurance agent, but I also know that everybody would be happier if there was no need for insurance.  So on hot days, beat the heat so you don’t have to make use of your health insurance policy.  If you’re not lounging in the air conditioning today, try to do the following:

• Wear light, breathable clothing with lighter colors
• Wear sunscreen
• Wear sunglasses
• Avoid alcohol- although a drink, it dehydrates you
• Stay hydrated with water and Gatorade
• Go to the pool!

You Can ACTUALLY Win An iPad

Are you tired of seeing pop-ups congratulating you for being the one millionth visitor and telling you to “click here” for your reward?  And how annoying are pop-ups for free iPads?  Nobody gives away free iPads.  Our “catch” is that you simply ask others to experience our service for themselves.

Well, if you didn’t already know, we have a Referral Rewards program at Blue Marsh Insurance, and we are not giving away lots of free iPads, but we ARE giving away ONE free iPad to a lucky winner in November, and we DO give away two $25 gift cards to random winners every month.  To be eligible for these prizes, all you have to do is refer a friend to Blue Marsh Insurance, and when they call in and let us know you referred them, we will enter your name in “the hat.”

Good luck and thanks again for reading!

This Time I’m Gonna Kick That Football Clear to the Moon!

Two posts ago, I promised to keep this blog updated with real and relevant content.  It’s hard to keep a blog relevant if it’s only being updated every eight months.  My lack of updates has not been due to a lack of relevant ideas, but due to a lack of time on my part.  I blame this on the client-friends here at Blue Marsh Insurance for keeping me so busy.  (Just kidding).  I’m so grateful for all the folks that allow us the opportunity to protect what’s important.

This post is the official kick-off for “regular” posting on the Blue Marsh Insurance blog.  Envision the kick-off attempt 8 months ago as Charlie Brown trying to punt the football and falling flat on his back while Lucy maliciously grins.  This kick-off is like David Akers drilling one from 50 yards.  From now on, the blog will be updated at LEAST weekly with pertinent information regarding insurance, community events, or anything that may be of relevant interest. 

Thanks for reading!  Check back soon for more updates.

Dave Ramsey’s EntreLeadership

We’re excited to be hosting Dave Ramsey’s EntreLeadership 1-day simulcast event at Hopewell Christian Fellowship – Elverson, PA on November 5th, 2010.  Click the link for details. If you want to come, let us know here or at the church.

It sounds to us like the perfect event for leaders and business owners.

Starting Point

One thing I promise about our blog is to be real and (hopefully) relevant.  Not always insurance stuff, but topics that are important to our clients, our partners, our team, and even our families.  I hope that our articles, stories, and thoughts give you a look into who we are and what we are all about.

As I write this, we are eagerly awaiting our move to a new location a few miles north.  A good friend is building a new building for his company and we were asked to come and join them there.  Still many little details need to get into line before we can move, but it looks like a near certainty that next Friday (Nov 5th) is the day… Stay tuned.

Onto other things…  I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to lead such a wonderful team of folks in small business in the greatest country on Earth.  To have the freedom of owning and running a successful small business is indeed a privilege.  I’m thankful for all our men and women  in the armed services and preserve the American dream for me and my family.  Thank you to my wonderful wife and my 3 little boys for supporting me as we grow our business.  Thank you to our friends for the opportunity to help protect what’s important to them.  Most of all, thanks to God for slowly revealing His plans for my life.