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Driving in Las Vegas can be very trying at times, particularly around 5 p.m. anywhere near the Strip or I-15. Accidents are a too common occurrence, and most times, someone else is at fault. Unfortunately, that leads to another problem in Las Vegas, and that is the high incidence of people driving with no insurance. Studies indicate more than 25 percent of motorists on Las Vegas-area roads are driving illegally with no auto insurance coverage. And even those motorists who do have insurance policies in place in many times do not have enough in coverage limits to pay the full costs of any damages or injuries they might inflict on others.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Coverage Protects Well

The best way to protect against uninsured or underinsured motorists is to have uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage as part of an auto insurance policy. If hit by a driver who can’t be identified in a hit-and-run accident or by a driver who is unlicensed or otherwise not insured to drive a vehicle, uninsured motorists coverage will pay up to policy limits for any financial losses. When a driver cannot  be identified, such as a hit-and-run driver, that motorists automatically is declared an “uninsured motorist.” Having insurance to protect against losses caused by an uninsured motorists is a wise move in a state where more than 25 percent of drivers have no insurance coverage.

Underinsured Motorists Coverage Pays  When Others Won’t

Even motorists who have state-mandated auto insurance coverage in place many times do not have enough to pay for potential damages to many vehicles and other properties. In Nevada, a motorists can drive legally if the vehicle in which he or she is traveling has enough insurance coverage to pay up to 15,000 for bodily injuries to one other person or a total of $30,000 for bodily injuries to more than one person from an accident. State law also requires at least $10,000 in property damage coverage, which can be exceeded easily by one accident. That makes it important to have insurance coverage in place in case an uninsured or underinsured motorist causes an accident involving you. If your vehicle were totaled in an accident, would $10,000 be enough to replace it?

Because every day is the perfect day to lower your risk of breast cancer.

Everyone knows someone who has suffered from cancer. Breast cancer, the fourth most common form of cancer, is diagnosed in over a quarter million people in the US every year and ranks second as the leading cause of death among women. At AMS Insurance, we know that breast cancer is not completely preventable – things just happen. But there are things you can do everyday to minimize your risk of breast cancer.

Keep Your Weight Healthy

Though the research on this is somewhat incomplete, there does seem to be a relation between excess weight and breast cancer – particularly for post menopausal women. Avoid the tendency to gain weight over time. If you need to lose weight, make a goal to reduce your weight by a half pound ever week. If you need smaller increments, that’s fine too.

Throw Out the Alcohol

Or at least drink very little of it – no more than one drink per day. Women who have two or more drinks a day double their risk of breast cancer (when compared to women who don’t drink at all).

Make Exercise Part of Your Daily Routine

This is no surprise; exercise is good for everything, and breast cancer is no exception. Something as simple as speed walking a few times a week can reduce your risk significantly. Spread your exercise out through the week for optimal results.

Just Take Care of Yourself

This might seem like something we’ve already covered, but simply living a lifestyle that is happy and healthy will help prevent cancer. Don’t smoke, get your sleep, and live a life of healthy moderation. Keep your stress down, work and live in a healthy environment, and treat yourself right.

Of course, none of these steps can guarantee a long, happy, cancer-free life. There are genetic and environmental factors to take into account – things that are out of your control. But do what you can do to take control of your life.

Like many people, you may be perfectly satisfied with your insurance provider. In fact, maybe you’re using the same auto insurance company your parents did (and their parents before them). You may not have a real reason to switch insurance companies or even look into your options – and you might be paying way, way too much. That’s why we offer bundled auto and home insurance to help you save money.

Bundle Auto and Home Insurance for Big Savings

Perhaps you found your current insurance providers because of their initial low policy price, or maybe you’re still with the same home insurance provider that your lender picked out for you. If this is the case, you may be passing up huge discounts for bundled auto and home insurance. At AMS Insurance, we can find you auto and home insurance policies with great premiums, then top them with a multi-policy bundling discount!

Aside from the savings, bundling your auto and home insurance is also convenient. Imagine writing and mailing one check per month (or year) rather than several. Or, if your home insurance is paid through your escrow account, imagine getting a few dollars back each year because of your newly discounted bundling rate.

We know it’s easy to get “comfortable” with your insurance carrier. But while you’re sitting comfortably, you could be saving big dollars! Along with home and auto insurance, you can also bundle other policies we offer, like renters or commercial property. Our dedicated insurance agents will work with you to determine the your family’s specific needs, then get you all the coverage you need at the best price available. At AMS insurance, we think of our customers as family – and what family would let each other pay too much for auto and home insurance?

Give us a call today for your free, no-obligation quote. Or get an instant quote online here.

Have you weighed your health care options and come up more confused than ever? We get it; health insurance plans, deductibles, savings accounts, pre-existing conditions . . . It all sounds like jargon after a while, and confusing jargon at that. If you’re looking into health savings account, you’re on track to saving health care costs. Here we’ve listed the primary benefits of an HSA so you can make an unconfused decision.

1.Opposed to an flexible spending account, an HSA doesn’t lock you in to a set contribution amount. That means you can adjust your contribution a monthly basis, depending on your current medical forecast. Additionally, there is no “use-it-or-lose-it” rule with an HSA, meaning your unused funds will roll over into the next year.

2.HSAs are completely tax-free. You may be accustomed to 401k and other accounts that are “tax-deferred,” but if you follow the guidelines on your HSA and use the funds only for qualifying medical expenses, you’ll never actually pay taxes on the contribution.

3.Your employer contributions aren’t taxed either. Ever gotten a raise and then quickly calculated how much you’ll actually see after taxes and deductions? When an employer contributes to your HSA, you get the full amount – no “net” to speak of.

4.Your office visit payments actually go somewhere. With a coordinating high-deductible PPO, you won’t be paying office co-pays that don’t contribute to your yearly deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. That means you get credit for any payments you make.

5.With growing confusion in the health care industry, HSAs are likely to gain popularity. Many otherwise uninsured individuals will likely enroll in qualifying high-deductible PPOs in order to avoid a penalty. This makes them eligible for an HSA – which, if they’ve been listening to us at all, they’ll enroll in immediately!

Got specific questions on spending accounts? Let us know below!

If you have stars in your eyes this February, you’re not alone. In fact, nearly 10 percent of married couples got engaged on Valentine’s Day. We know that planning the ultimate proposal can be intimidating. You’re looking for the perfect diamond in the perfect setting for the perfect woman.

When you find that perfect ring, make sure it doesn’t become a liability! Insuring an engagement ring can give you peace of mind. And with the current trend of spending two months’ income on that rock, you could probably use it! After all, what could be worse than losing two months’ income because of a carefree swim in the ocean, casually washing hands, or changing clothes at the gym?  We’ll give you the 411 on getting financial protection for that romantic – and expensive – gesture.

Policy Rider

If you currently have a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, it may not guarantee coverage for big-ticket items like fine art and jewelry. To cover your new bling, consider getting a personal property rider for your policy. A ride acts like a mini policy that extends the coverage to your existing policy. If you do decide to get a jewelry rider, be sure you keep it updated when and if you move. For example, your fiancé may live at one location now, but will be moving in with you after you get married.

Questions to Ask

Just like you asked a million questions when you picked out that ring, you should ask a few more when you’re insuring it. Depending on the carrier, your coverage may change. You may want to ask what type of losses are covered (i.e. stolen or lost), how you’ll be reimbursed (a check or a replacement), whether a deductible is required and how much, how the insurer requires proof of loss, and if there are any circumstantial exceptions to coverage.

Be Careful!

While an insurance policy can help protect you financially from losing that precious bauble, we know that engagement rings hold more sentimental value than most other possession. Protect your “emotional” investment by keeping it in a safe when you’re not wearing it, and making sure to put it in the same place each time you momentarily take it off.

Getting engaged this Valentine’s Day? Tell us your story!