phil heath picture real or enhanced picture phil the gift heath looking massive full muscle bellies

now is this picture of phil heath real really shows phil heathand why he is seen as a potential mr olympia the muscle bellies on phil heath are phill hehe as in full.

not sure with this picture if it has been slightly tweaked or not to make phil look bigger, or if it is the angle that it is phographed at that gives that effect, but phil heath looks one of his most massive in the picture.

biecps on phil and triceps is one of the things phil heath is known for his arms must be getting close to 24 inches at times they look unreal.

also to balance out those massive biceps and triceps phil heath also has massive forearms in proportion with the upper arm muscles.

actually i think phil heath has had to train to bring up other body parts to balance out his arm size, like phil heath had to do a lot of should training to make up the balance between his arms.

Insurance Agents

"There are worse things in life than death.  Have you ever spent an evening with an Insurance Agent?" 
-Woody Allen

The above quote is a common misperception of how people view Insurance Agents.  I thought I would take a minute to address my recent poll results.  Hopefully the next one will produce more response.  The question was asked.. What are insurance agents likely to be doing when not at work?  Unless you know some insurance agents personally it would be hard to say.  Let me give my quick insight into the personal life of an insurance agent:

I was introduced to the insurance business by my father who works in my same office right across the hall.  If you were to ask most insurance agents why or how they got into this type of work they would very likely tell you that it was a family member.  My grandfather started an insurance agency in Ogden, Utah which is run today by my uncle.  My father started with them and eventually was offered another opportunity and decided to join another agency.  We now have several generations of insurance agents working in the area.  I was never pressured into following my father's footsteps into this industry.  I think the things that appealed to me were the opportunities to make a good living, the flexibility of an open work schedule, the good people in the business, and the ability to work with and get to know people across all industries and organizations.  Now that you have some background info on me, what is the answer to the poll question?  Obviously, there is no correct answer.  I was looking to gather info on a perception more than anything. 

I have been able to meet alot of insurance agents by being involved in the industry.  My father has spent the past 25 years or so serving on various boards and committes of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America and has just completed his year as the National President of this organization.  Being involved with this locally and traveling with my father has allowed me to meet alot of people in the industry.  In general, these are very good people who although they spend time on the golf course can usually be found reading through policies and contracts, serving in a community or industry organization, and taking classes to further their knowledge.  Every Trusted Choice Agent makes a pledge of commitments to their clients which you can read here http://bit.ly/bEQN5V. 

It's true, insurance isnt the most interesting or attractive industry in the world.  But actually, most insurance agents don't get into the industry because they love insurance.  They get into the industry because they are usually very diverse people that like to be involved with many different things.  For me, the long and competitive hours of prospecting and presenting are generally rewarded with an afternoon of golf or a couple hours in the mountains or on the lake.  The late nights of reviewing a contract or returning emails allow us to take a vacation with the family and be there with our children when they have a baseball game.  I also enjoy the Exchange Club and other organizations I participate in that allow me to be involved with my community and give back to those who I can help.  Yes, we spend long hours studying insurance concepts and forms but in the end it turns out to be a very good job with many benefits.  I love insurance because it allows me to meet and work with many outstanding people and gives me the freedom to do the things that I want to do, whatever those things may be.

Umbrella Policy

Here are a couple thoughts on the Commercial Umbrella Policy.  This is a policy that most businesses carry because some agent told them it was good to have and most of the businesses they communicate with have one as well.  But do you know what the purpose of it is?  Do you know how big it should be?  Do you know how it works?  Try to picture in your mind an actual umbrella that protects you from the rain and I think we might use this to paint a mental picture of how this policy functions.

First, you only use it when it rains.  When the sprinkles turn to rain drops, then to hail, it's time to pull out the umbrella and protect yourself.  When you find your business in the middle of a lawsuit that could settle for far more than your underlying insurance limits, this is where the umbrella policy kicks in.  It provides extra limits on top of your standard liability limits (Most commonly $1 million per occurence).

Second, how much do you need to protect?  Are you by yourself in the rain or do you have your family of 8 with you?  A Commercial Umbrella policy can be as large as you want it to be.  The good news is, the first million is always the most expensive.  Beyond that, it gets cheaper for each additional million $ in coverage you choose to add.  What it comes down to is:  What is at stake?  How much is the business worth?  Beyond what point are you willing to take on the risk?  Sometimes I refer to the Umbrella Policy as sleep insurance.  You can sleep well at night knowing that whatever claim may be brought against you will be sufficiently covered and settled by your insurance company.  Ideally, you would carry an umbrella big enough to protect the whole family.

Last and MOST IMPORTANT...Pay attention here...This is something that is frequently misunderstood.  The insurance company that writes the Umbrella policy first looks at what the underlying protection is and requires that the full limits of that underlying protection be in place at the inception of this policy.  So, as a business owner, the first thing you should do is have the same annual date on ALL of your commercial policies.  This is something that is frequently misunderstood because most agents don't take the time to explain the ramifications of moving an effective date to improve your pricing on one piece of the pie.  They just want the pie.  I won't go into all the examples of why this could be a problem but I am happy to explain individually in more detail.  The other thing is that all of your insurance policies should be with the same insurance carrier whenever possible.  One example:

X Insurance Company underwrites a Commercial Umbrella Policy.  They agree to write a $5 million umbrella policy over the underlying coverages already quoted by their own company.  These underlying coverages might include General Liability, Auto Liability, Employer Benefit Liability, Professional Liability, etc. They have agreed to write the Umbrella policy based on the fact that they know the terms & conditions of the underlying insurance because it is also written by their company.  The Umbrella policy is written under the assumption that these specific underlying coverages will be maintained throughout the policy period.  Local Business enters into an agreement with X insurance company to provide all this insurance.  6 months later, here comes Stud insurance agent.  Stud promises Local Business that he can save them 20% on their Commercial Auto insurance.  The owner decides that sounds pretty good and allows Stud to bring them some quotes.  The next day, Stud shows up with a quote for the Auto insurance and sure enough, he has lowered the price dramatically.  The owner decides it is his best option to cancel his current policy with X Insurance half way through the year and move this piece of the insurance business.  Stud is thrilled because he just picked up a piece of business and is walking away with his commission.

Here's what Stud never explained to the owner about moving this policy:  The limits may have been slightly modified to bring premiums down, the terms and conditions with his company are different than those written by X Insurance, the financial rating is slightly different, the deductibles have changed a little bit, etc.  So what happens when Local Business has a huge Auto claim 3 months later and tries to use the limits of their $5 million Umbrella Policy?  Remember the conditions under which the policy was originally written?  These additional limits of protection will no longer be available above the limits of the Auto policy.

Unfortunately, these are the types of things that all to often go unexplained to a business owner.  The owner gets sucked in by low rates without considering the drawbacks because they don't understand insurance contracts.  This is why you have an insurance agent that is a trusted advisor instead of a "Stud".  This is why you should look for an agent that will openly discuss and take time to explain these things to you.  This is one of the many, many examples of why you shouldn't make decisions about your business insurance solely based on price.

Insurance Market

Here is a good short article about insurance pricing from the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers.  It is definitely a buyers market right now with pricing being driven down by fierce competition in the industry.  We are seeing unprecedented drops in premiums tied to increased coverage.  Because of this, I am careful to select 5-7 insurance markets for each of my accounts so I can find the best combination of coverage and pricing for my customers.  I can't guarantee that there isnt a lower price out there somewhere, because it would be impossible to cover every market.  However, I feel that I am doing my job by approaching a good number of companies for each account so we know that our pricing is competitive among the top insurers for each industry.  In this type of market, buyers have to be aware that there are insurance companies out there that are trying to buy business by offering extremely low rates.  Some of these companies are dangerous to do business with because they have likely cut out portions of coverage or they might be financially unstable and trying to collect whatever premium they can because they know there are people out there who will choose them solely based on price.  Sooner or later the market will turn and pricing will start to tighten up and maybe increase.  When that happens, you will find much more value in having a relationship with an insurance broker who understands the coverage forms and rates and can negotiate a good product.

COUNCIL SURVEY SHOWS COMMERCIAL PROPERTY/CASUALTY RATES
MELTING IN SUMMER HEAT WASHINGTON, D.C., July 19, 2010
"It’s the same old story," said Council President Ken A. Crerar. "Carriers continue to fight aggressively for new business as capacity flows into the market. It’s like someone forgot to turn off the spigot. No one seems to know when the reservoir will dry up, but in the meantime, it’s definitely a buyers’ market."
Commercial renewal pricing for small, medium and large business accounts continued to decline in the second quarter, compared with the first quarter of the year. Large account rate declines were again slightly more than the other accounts, but pricing for all account sizes was soft, according to The Council’s survey data. All individual commercial lines included in the survey experienced rate decreases, compared with the previous quarter. – Excess capacity chasing market share in the commercial property/casualty marketplace has resulted in another quarter of declining renewal pricing, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ second quarter Commercial P/C Market Index Survey. On average, renewal rates dropped by about 6 percent in the second quarter, compared with a 5 percent decrease in the first quarter of 2010.  Brokers across the country reported that capacity was plentiful for all lines:
"New carriers continue to enter the marketplace, further driving rates down. The capacity seems endless at this point."
"Carriers have lots of capacity for new business, but also don’t want to lose renewals. If there’s competition they will lower price."
"Appetite for premium is at a desperate level. New capacity continues to come into the market (inexplicably) and there is not enough premium to feed all the mouths."
"There is an abundance of capacity for D&O and other management liability coverage. Carriers are seeking to maintain market share by cutting premium and expanding coverage."
Buyers found good deals not only on pricing last quarter, but on terms and conditions as well, according to survey comments. "Carriers are open to improving deductibles, terms and conditions in hopes of being able to keep premium flat," said one respondent. Another broker saw "lower deductibles, broader coverage terms, more liberal terms." Still another remarked that there are "generally broader terms, no additional restrictions in coverage."
There was no notable change in customer demand for insurance in the second quarter, the brokers said. Only 26 percent of those surveyed said demand was up – about the same response as in the first quarter.
The economy and credit crisis remain the top concern of brokers across the country.

A NEW YEAR

AS FAR AS WORK GOES, THIS IS MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR- THE FIRST OF JANUARY.  IT MEANS NEW OPPORTUNITIES, NEW GOALS, AND A FRESH MARKET.  EVERY BUSINESS WILL DEAL WITH THEIR INSURANCE SOMETIME IN 2011 AND HOPEFULLY THIS MEANS MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ME TO DO MY JOB AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN THIS PROCESS.  I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR AS I AM ENTERING MY FOURTH YEAR IN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY AND THIRD AS AN AGENT.

I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO MEETINGS WITH MY CLIENTS AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP THEM THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR AS THEY DEAL WITH CHALLENGES AND CHANGES IN THEIR BUSINESSES.  I HOPE THAT THOSE OF YOU WHO READ MY BLOG WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS I STRIVE TO USE IT AS AN AVENUE OF FEEDING INFORMATION TO YOU AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.  I WILL THEN BE ABLE TO BETTER SERVE YOU AS WE DISCUSS ANY QUESTIONS OR TOPICS IN FURTHER DETAIL AT OUR MEETINGS.

I WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR!!

Key Man Insurance

“Key Man” Insurance

Losing an important employee who plays a large role in the company is a very tough ordeal for the whole organization. There is a large risk that the whole operation may be affected or hindered. For these situations there is the “Key Man” Insurance. It is intended to protect the company from a loss of the “key employee”. Unlike the traditional disability insurance wherein the employee is the recipient of the benefits, here in “Key Man” Insurance the company is the one who would reap the benefits. The insurance vehicles for key man insurance can take two forms: Disability insurance or life insurance. Even if you are your company’s only “key man”, you should consider taking out key man insurance on yourself.  If there is anyone in your organization that you could not operate without or who's skills and experience drive your profitability then you might want to consider purchasing this type of insurance.

ALL IN

What do you think of when you hear the term "All In"?  I think of a poker player who is so confident in his ability to win a hand that he is willing to put all of his chips on the line.  I also think of an entrepreneur who is so confident in his ability to make his business work that he is willing to put all of his resources and the livelihood of his family on the line to make it happen.  There are many people in our business community who have committed everything to building a successful business.  This is what it takes.  You have to be "all in".  There are many factors we can control when it comes to building a successful business such as hard work, providing good service, fulfilling a need, developing good products, and hiring quality people.  Essentially, we are able to choose the hand we are dealt.  That is what makes our country great.  Every single person has this opportunity to bring something innovative and new to the table and build a successful enterprise.  However, there are a lot of people who are not willing to put it all on the line. 

There are certain risks that we have no control over which scare people away from seizing the opportunity to go "all in".  We sometimes get caught up in thinking:  What happens if I go all in then my building burns down?  What if I hire the wrong person who steals money out of my company and sabotages the organization?  What if someone sues me because I did something wrong or didn't perform my work perfectly? What if my products are no good and cause damage to someone of something?  What if an earthquake or other natural disaster puts me out of business?

Fortunately, there are insurance answers for these questions.  This is why we buy insurance.  Sometimes after several years of running a successful business and never having to deal with something going wrong, we start to think that we are somewhat invincible and that all those things we worried about when we started the business are no longer a threat to us.  So we start to cut back on our insurance spending, commit to larger deductibles that we may or may not be able to meet, and shop our policies so competitively that we take the value of a quality agent out of the picture because we no longer need someone looking out for us.  All of a sudden, we just want the lowest premiums attached to somewhat decent service so we can get our insurance certificates to the people that request them.  When was the last time you sat down with your insurance agent and discussed every business exposure you could think of and looked at insurance options before deciding to retain those risks or transfer them to an insurer?  When you let a new agent work on your insurance, are you looking for a lower price on the same product or are you looking for what they can bring to the table as far as advice, knowledge, and superior service?

If you are "all in" with your business as many people are these days, let's get back to the basics.  Let's make sure you are properly insured.  Let's make sure you know what your exposures are and what options you have.  Let's make sure you know what risks you can and can't afford to retain.  Let's make sure you are getting the knowledge and advice you deserve from your insurance agent.  Please give me a call if you feel like it would be valuable to you to have an in-depth discussion on protecting your business assets and liabilities.  If you are a client of mine, let’s spend a little extra time this next year discussing your options as we always do but taking some time to brainstorm and think about the things we might have missed or haven’t discussed before.  I would encourage everyone to go “all in” because that is where success is found; but don’t do it without knowing what your uncontrollable risks are and creating a plan to protect yourself.