Simple ways older drivers can save money on auto insurance

(BPT) - Are your auto insurance premiums too high? Maybe they are, but not for reasons you might think. Insurance companies aren't charging you higher premiums because you're in an over-50 age group. You may be paying too much because you haven't done anything to lower the cost of your premiums. Check out these money-saving tips - they could be right up your alley.
* Comparison shop. You don't need to stay with the same insurance company forever. Prices vary from company to company. Just be sure you discuss the identical coverage with each company representative. Also, don't go by price alone. Consider the company's reputation, customer service and available discounts. Look online at customer reviews to get a better picture.
* Combine policies with one carrier. You may save money if you insure all your vehicles on a single policy. Your premium may also go down if you have life or homeowners' insurance with that company, too.
* Consider asking about higher deductibles. In some cases, if you increase your deductible, you could lower your premiums. Of course, that means you'll have to pay more money out-of-pocket if you're in an accident.
* Take an AARP Driver Safety course. Available both online and in the classroom - in English and Spanish - this course teaches valuable defensive driving techniques and provides a refresher about the rules of the road. When you complete the course, you could qualify for a multi-year discount from your auto insurance company (check with your insurance agent for more details). Visit www.aarp.org/drive to find a course in your area.
* Consider dropping collision and/or comprehensive coverage. It may not make financial sense to pay premiums over many years to maintain collision and comprehensive coverage. If your car is worth less than 10 times the premium, purchasing the coverage may not be cost effective, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). But don't drop your liability coverage, which can help cover expenses for property or bodily damage you cause while driving your car.
* Take advantage of low-mileage discounts. Some carriers offer discounts to drivers who put less than a predetermined number of miles on their vehicles each year. If you're only using your car to drive to your kids' houses, the grocery store, the mall and the gym, this could be a money-saving opportunity.
* Ask about car-safety discounts. Some insurers give discounts for having certain safety devices in your car, such as air bags, automatic safety belts, anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights, or even an approved alarm system. In addition to lowering your premium, these features will help keep you safe on the road.
* If you're in the market for a new car, consider purchasing a low-profile vehicle. It's more expensive to insure a vehicle that's expensive to repair, popular with thieves or known for not having a good safety record. To find out vehicles' risk levels, visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website.
Everyone's trying to save money these days. By following these tips, you'll be in the driver's seat when it comes to auto insurance premiums.

Fraud alert: Grandparent scam continues to trick people out of money

(BPT) - Imagine being woken by a phone call in the middle of the night. It's your crying grandchild, who is asking for money because of an accident. Of course you want to help your loved one, so you do whatever you can in this emergency situation. You open your wallet without hesitation.Unfortunately you've just become a victim of a scam that is happening across the country. Known as the "grandparent scam," this type of fraud involves bogus calls from people claiming to be relatives in trouble. The personal nature and urgency of these calls causes people to let their guard down, and act quickly without verifying the validity of the call.
"Criminals often target older people, but in reality anyone of any age can be a target of a scam," says Phil Hopkins, vice president of global security with Western Union. "With more people sharing personal information online, such as through social media websites, it's easier for criminals to learn details of personal relationships so they can imitate loved ones by name. Newspapers and obituaries are also good sources of personal information, providing detailed relationship information."
Con artists may also impersonate attorneys, police officers or bail bondsmen to create a sense of urgency and legitimacy. Add in loud background noises, muffled voices or fuzzy phone lines, and it's easy to believe someone is calling from jail or a remote location, where he or she may be in trouble.
In addition to calling victims, hackers use similar strategies to target victims through email. Tapping into a person's address book, scammers send emails or instant messages directly from the person's email account alerting friends and others of the "emergency" and requesting funds. Do not respond to the email and confirm the situation by contacting the person by phone or other means.-
"Awareness is the best defense against emergency scams," says Hopkins. "These scams can be convincing, but it's important to keep a few things in mind before you rush to help."
Hopkins recommends you follow these tips to avoid becoming a victim of the emergency scam or other types of fraud:
1. If you receive a phone call or email claiming a friend or family member needs cash, take a moment to review the situation. Does it make sense? Can you verify the emergency?
2. Call the person at a known telephone number, not a number given to you by the caller. Or, call a mutual friend or another relative and find out if he or she is aware of the situation.
3. Let your friend or family member know that you have received a call or email from the person requesting help. If the request turns out to be fake, contact the police immediately.
4. Regardless of whether you are contacted by phone, email or some other means, be suspicious of requests to send money to "help a friend or family member out" unless you can verify the information you've been given with 100 percent confidence.
5. If you did send a money transfer through Western Union, and then realize that it was for a scam, contact the Western Union Fraud Hotline at 1-800-448-1492. If the transaction has not been picked up, it will be refunded to you.
6. Never send money to someone you have not met in person.
7. For more information on scams or for more tips on how to help protect yourself from scams, visit www.WesternUnion.com/stopfraud.

Editors Note: You can find additional information on how to avoid being a victim of fraud in the 2013 print edition of the Senior GO TO Guide.--TG

Seniors and Shingles: Myth vs Fact

Shingles is a painful disease caused by the same virus as the chicken pox — the herpes zoster virus– and affects an estimated 1 million people annually. In fact, more than half of all Americans will have experienced shingles by age 80.
Since shingles is very common, you may have heard differing information from friends, fellow caregivers, and healthcare providers. Let’s sort the truth about shingles from myth.

Shingles 101
Shingles is the reactivation of the dormant chicken pox virus that uniquely affects on side of the body. In the event of altered immunity, age, illness or other stressor, the virus re-emerges from its long-time home in the spinal nerves and a painful skin rash breaks out. Shingles may begin with pronounced fatigue and typically develops in three stages: severe pain or tingling along the nerve pathway, itchy rash, and blisters that resemble chickenpox.

Shingles myths and facts
Myth: Only elderly people get shingles. Read More.

Healthy Sleep Tips

The following ten tips can help you achieve sleep and the benefits it provides. These tips are intended for "typical" adults, but not necessarily for children or persons experiencing medical problems.

Finally, if you have trouble falling asleep, maintaining sleep, awaken earlier than you wish, feel unrefreshed after sleep or suffer from excessive sleepiness during the day or when you wish to be alert, you should also consult your physician. Be sure to tell him/her if you have already tried these tips and for how long. To check for possible sleep problems, go to our checklist, "How's Your Sleep?"

1. Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule including weekends.

Our sleep-wake cycle is regulated by a "circadian clock" in our brain and the body's need to balance both sleep time and wake time. A regular waking time in the morning strengthens the circadian function and can help with sleep onset at night. That is also why it is important to keep a regular bedtime and wake-time, even on the weekends when there is the temptation to sleep-in. Read More.