Fire Extinguisher Safety

A portable fire extinguisher is great to have in every home to prevent a house fire from spreading and causing devastating damage.  But they have limitations that all consumers need to be aware of. The standard, all purpose fire extinguisher is meant for small fires that are confined to a small area and not spreading rapidly, such as a fire in a waste basket.  If a fire is growing quickly, it’s safest for the residents to get out of the house immediately and call 911 and not try to battle the fire themselves.

All homes should have an all purpose extinguisher that is light enough for the users to be able to use easily. Also make sure that the extinguisher carries the label of an independent testing laboratory to make sure that it’s up to code. Make sure to read the instructions before you have a fire so that you’re familiar with how to use it. Local fire departments and fire equipment distributors offer demonstrations on how to use fire extinguishers but if that isn’t feasible, remember the word PASS:

  - Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle
    pointing away from you, and release the locking
    mechanism.
  - Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
  - Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
  - Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.

Wood and Pellet Stove Safety

The heating season is here and it’s time to think about wood and pellet stove safety. Woodstove and pellet stoves need to be cleaned every year or when there’s 1/4” creosote buildup on the chimney walls. The more often you use the stove, the more often you’ll have to clean it. Make sure to clean the ash and dispose of it in a fire-proof container before each use. Also be aware of the fuel limitations of your stove. Most wood stoves are meant to burn wood only. Do not burn driftwood, trash, treated wood, artificial logs, or any product containing zinc, sulfur, lead, or plastics as they will damage the catalytic combustor. Burning trash in a wood stove is dangerous for its potential to start a chimney fire, and also because the trash could contain plastics or other elements which emit harmful gases.

If you’re thinking about installing a wood or pellet stove for the first time, make sure to have a professional install it.  Also make sure that it’s inspected and you get proof of that inspection certifying that the stove is up to code and safe for your family. If you would like more information on this matter, go to the National Ag Safety Database at http://nasdonline.org/document/333/d000132/proper-installation-operation-and-maintenance-of-a-wood.html.

Think twice before you Switch!

 We hear it all the time on the radio and television, “Big savings on your auto and home insurance.”  In these difficult economic times, we’re all looking for ways to save money and insurance is a place to start.  But there are some things that we need to consider… Just because we can get a lower rate with another carrie doesn’t mean that changing companies is a good idea.  Do you have the same coverages or did the new company give you lower limits of insurance?  We also need to consider company loyalty because the longer you are with a particular company, the more likely you are to receive a credit for being with them a long time. And if you’ve been with one company for years, they are more likely to stay on your policy if you’ve had a loss or two (remember those tornadoes, snow storms, and ice storms that we had back-to–back in our area a few years ago?). If you are considering changing insurance companies, please discuss your concerns with your Insurance Agent before you make any changes that could affect your future.

Should I be Concerned about Insuring my Home-Based Business?

The answer is absolutely yes. The homeowner’s policy provides minimal coverage, if any, for businesses in the home. Do you have a home-based business that provides services such as daycare and/or have computers, products, supplies, etc. in your home? Something as innocent as consulting from your home puts you at risk for an uncovered loss. You may say “No one ever comes to my house, it’s just clerical work”.  What about the person who “stops by” just to pick up paperwork and gets injured?  There will be no coverage provided from your homeowner’s policy because the loss was due to your business. If you rent out your garage to someone to fix cars in, or if you have your carpenter’s shop in the garage and there’s a fire, the homeowner’s policy may not cover the loss because it was used for business. A simple endorsement to your homeowner’s policy MAY be all it takes to be covered correctly. If you have any doubts or concerns about your home based business and how it may affect your coverage, please contact your Insurance Agent to make sure that you have the proper coverage to protect you, your customers and your family.

Have you paid off your home or auto?

If you’ve paid off your mortgage or car loan, did you know that you should inform your insurance agent? Most people don’t know to do that until they have a claim and have to deal with the insurance company and bank to rectify the situation. If you have a loss and the bank is still listed on your home or auto policy, the claim check has to be written out to you AND the bank which leads to more work for you at a time that you don’t need the extra hassle. Once you receive the documentation that you have paid off the bank loan, get a copy to your Insurance Agent so that they can have the bank removed from your policy to avoid having to deal with this at the time of a claim.

Cyber Bullying

How often do we hear on the news of yet another case of cyber bullying? With all the technology at our finger tips, we are able to reach more people than ever before - which is a good thing.  But bullying is now so much more than harassing or beating someone else up in the school yard or neighborhood. Now people can bully others by logging onto Facebook, sending emails, using chat rooms, blogs and gaming sites, or posting cell phone photos.  As parents, we need to take measures to protect our children from being bullied and also from bullying others. How can we do that?

• Make sure that we are aware of the sites that our children are on and check their history periodically
• Keep the lines of communication open so that your children will feel comfortable coming to you if they’re struggling with bullying
• Know your children’s friends
• Discuss with your children the importance of not sharing their private information with others
• Beware of the time spent on the internet

There are plenty of resources that you can turn to for more information and help. Go to The Center for Disease Control’s website at www.Cdc.gov or simply Google “cyber bullying” and you will find endless information on how to prevent cyber bullying. Also speak to your Insurance Agent to discuss Personal Injury Protection coverage which will provide protection if your child is accused of bullying.

Insurance Coverage for your Computer

Why should I have Special Coverage for my Laptop? Doesn’t my Homeowner’s policy cover it? Insurance agents hear these questions all the time. The basic Homeowner’s policy does not cover laptops that have been dropped, lost, or have had liquids spilled on them unless you have purchased special coverage for them. Let’s face it, how many times have you been working away to meet a deadline and are eating and drinking at the computer? How easy is it to knock over your coffee onto it because you get distracted or are frazzled? It’s quite easy actually. Or what about the students that carry their laptop around with them at school and put it down for a minute and walk away, forgetting that they have it – or drop it because their attention is elsewhere??? All of these situations are not covered on the standard homeowner’s policy. Please contact your Insurance Agent to discuss your options to have the coverages that you need so that you can have the peace of mind that you won’t have to be paying out of pocket for another laptop.