Insurance Blog

 

• Never leave small children unsupervised – even for a few seconds.
• Install fencing around the swimming pool area to keep young children and others from using your pool without your knowledge.
• Keep children away from pool filters.  The suction force may injure them or prevent them from surfacing.
• Make sure everyone using your pool knows how to swim.  Novice swimmers should be accompanied by good swimmers.
• Inspect the pool area regularly for glass bottles, toys or other potential hazards.
• Never dive into an above-ground pool and always check the water depth before plunging into an in-ground pool.
• Don’t swim in the rain or during lightning storms.
• Keep electronic equipment away from the pool and wet pool decks.
• Don’t swim alone.
• Don’t allow anyone who has been drinking alcohol to swim in the pool.

Home & Commercial Building Prices Down, Rebuilding Costs Up

• Contact your agent or insurance company annually to evaluate the current replacement cost of your home or commercial building. Be sure to include any large remodel projects or additions that could add a substantial amount to your rebuilding costs. Also ask about special coverage for high-value items such as jewelry, art, antiques and coin collections.
• Marshall & Swift offers homeowners an affordable way to check home replacement costs using their online Accucoverage tool. For $7.95, Accucoverage evaluates your home and gives an estimated rebuilding/replacement cost.
• Consider separate optional flood and earthquake insurance.  Flood and earthquake damage is specifically excluded from standard Homeowners insurance policies and most business insurance policies. Keep an up-to-date home inventory with Free Home Inventory Software from the Insurance Information Institute.
• Prepare your business to survive a disaster, get Open For Business from the Institute for Business & Home Safety. 
  
  For more information on Homeowners and business insurance, visit NW Insurance Council or call (800) 664-4942.

• Review your insurance policy and consider adding Comprehensive coverage if you don’t already have it.
• Whenever possible, store gifts and other valuables in your trunk.  If this isn’t possible, throw a blanket over gifts before you leave your vehicle unattended.
• Manually lock your vehicle’s doors.  Do not use your remote locking device. Many high-tech thieves have begun using scanning devices to record remote lock frequencies to unlock vehicles. 
• Double-check to make sure your doors are locked.
• Don’t go back and forth frequently from stores to your vehicle to unload gifts.  Car prowlers watch for shoppers who leave gifts in their vehicles unattended.

• Inspect your roof.  Remove leaves, branches and debris from gutters to prevent water blockage and possible run-off into the home.
• If you find a leak, clean and dry the exposed area and fix the problem immediately.
• Routinely inspect ceilings, walls, floors and windowsills for water stains, discoloration and musty odors.
• Routinely inspect attics, vents, ducts, washer hoses and outside water sources for leaks.
• Check and replace heating system air filters.
• Properly ventilate bathrooms and kitchens to prevent a moisture buildup.
• Use high quality silicone caulk to seal areas where cables or pipes exit walls, such as around clothes dryers, kitchen or bathroom vents and outdoor electrical outlets. 
• Routinely caulk bathtubs, sinks, tile walls and floors to prevent water seepage.
• To reduce flooding from poor drainage or excessive rainfall, clear outside drains of debris and make sure your lot’s grading directs water away from buildings.

• If you have damage to your home or business, don't wait to file a claim. Filing quickly will reduce the time it takes to get your claim settled.
• If you've filed a claim for minor damage that doesn't impact your ability to live in your home, consider getting several repair estimates before your adjuster arrives. This will help your adjuster settle your claim more quickly.
• If you have minor damage, please be patient. Adjusters are working to handle the most severely damaged properties first and will make it a priority to reach your property as soon as possible.

• Damage to your home from wind and falling trees is covered under most insurance policies, regardless of whose property the tree fell from.
• In cases where negligence can be proven, your neighbor's insurance may apply.
• If your neighbor's tree poses a future risk to your property due to leaning, disease or root problems, claims experts recommend asking your neighbor to correct the problem. If the neighbor refuses to act, follow up with a certified letter stating your concerns. File a copy of the letter with your insurance records and provide it to your adjuster in the event of a future loss. This will help the adjuster investigate whether or not there was provable negligence on the neighbor's part.

• If your home is unsafe to occupy due to physical damage from the windstorm, most policies provide for Additional Living Expenses that exceed your normal expenditures.
  General power outages occurring off your insured property are excluded from coverage under most policies.
• While you may elect to seek other accommodations due to a power outage, cold weather alone does not qualify you for coverage under your insurance policy.

• Many companies exclude coverage for spoiled food unless a power outage is caused by a loss on your property, such as a tree severing the power lines attached to your home.
• Some companies provide up to $1000 coverage for frozen and refrigerated food spoilage after 72 hours of continuous power interruption. Check your policy for coverage information.

• Review your insurance policy and consider adding Comprehensive coverage if you don't already have it.
• Double-check to make sure your doors are locked.
• Whenever possible, store gifts and other valuables in your trunk. If this isn't possible, throw a blanket over gifts before you leave your vehicle unattended.
• Don't go back and forth frequently from stores to your vehicle to unload gifts. Car prowlers watch for shoppers who leave gifts in their vehicles unattended.
• Do not leave valuable items in sight. Cell phones, laptops and other expensive electronic equipment make your vehicle more inviting to thieves.
• Be sure to park in a well-lit area.
• Consider installing a quality security system in your vehicle or applying a locking device to your steering wheel.