Safety tips: Preventing home fires

Here are some excerpts from a recent article on erieinsurance.com:

Fires cause an estimated 3,500 deaths and nearly $4 billion in property damage in the United States annually — much more than hurricanes, tornadoes or floods. Yet many people ignore common fire hazards in the home and don’t prepare themselves or family members for this more common catastrophe.

 

Many home fires are caused by space and portable heaters:

• Keep flammables, such as drapes and furniture, away from space and portable heaters.
• Hire a certified chimney sweep to regularly clean and inspect the chimney.
• Inspect heating equipment regularly for proper design, installation and operation.
• Follow manufacturer instructions when installing and filling liquid- and gas-fueled heaters.
• Never leave auxiliary heating equipment unattended.

Household appliances are another common cause of fires:

• Don’t overload wall outlets.
• Don’t use fuses rated too high for your home’s circuits.
• Don’t use frayed electrical cords.
• Don’t run extension cords under rugs or furniture.

The kitchen is another major area where you can practice fire safety:

• Keep the stove clean and free of grease.
• Keep the handles of pots and pans turned inward.
• Keep all flammable material (including shirt sleeves) away from burners.
• Keep a fire extinguisher rated for grease fires nearby.
• Never store flammable liquids in the kitchen.
• Never leave cooking unattended.

Here’s a link to the full article from Erie Insurance.

Related posts:

• Making a home inventory
• Homeowners Insurance – How much coverage do you need?
• What insurance should you have if you rent an apartment?

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Safety tips: Halloween

Halloween is almost here! Here are some links to safety tips from Erie Insurance:

Make Halloween a Treat with these Safety Tricks

This Halloween, stay safe from scary surprises

Halloween Safety Quiz

Related articles:

• Grilling safety
• Spring home safety
• Safety tips: outdoor chores

Do you have any ideas for insurance safety articles? Please drop me an email, or comment below. Thanks!

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Life changes…has your insurance kept pace?

Have you had any major life changes recently? If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, we recommend that you contact your insurance agent for a review:

Have you recently married or divorced? If you’re merging or separating households, you’ll need to update your auto, homeowners and life insurance. Multiple cars in a household can mean added discounts.

Have you had a baby? Review your life insurance policy to plan for living and education expenses.

Have you switched jobs or experienced a significant salary change? This is a good time to review your life insurance needs. If you had life insurance through your previous employer, you may need to replace lost coverage.

Have you done extensive renovations on your home? If you’ve added or renovated a room, you risk being underinsured if you’ve not discussed those changes with your insurance agent.

Have you decided to buy a retirement or vacation home? Research the availability and cost of insurance before you commit. Waterfront property or a mountain retreat have risks associated that can make insurance costly and difficult to obtain.

Have you acquired any new valuables—jewelry, electronic equipment, fine art, antiques? A standard homeowners policy may limit coverage for these items. Consider supplementing your policy with a floater or endorsement.

Have you retired? You may get a lower rate on your auto insurance. It’s also time to see if your life insurance needs have decreased. If you haven’t considered long-term care insurance, you should see if it’s right for you.

Related links:

• Homeowners Insurance – How much coverage do you need?
• Should your teenage children have their own insurance?
• Calculating your life insurance needs

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Safety tips: Driving in the rain

The fall rainy season is here in Western New York.  Here are a few tips for safe driving in the rain from Erie Insurance and Albion Agencies:

• Slow down—Allow more time to negotiate stops and turns.
• Keep a safe distance—Stay farther back than you normally would in clear conditions.
• Increase visibility—Turn your headlights on (it’s the law in New York).  Keep the windshield clear with reliable wipers and plenty of washer fluid.
• Reduce chances of hydroplaning—Make sure all tires have at least 1/8 inch of tread and are properly inflated. Avoid hard braking.
• Avoid damp brakes—Keep brakes dry by lightly riding the brake pedal for several seconds at regular intervals.
• Avoid flooded areas—Never drive through moving water if you can’t see the ground through it. Proceed slowly through a puddle of uncertain depth.
• Carry an emergency road kit—Some of the items you might include are a first aid kit, jumper cables, a flashlight, a blanket, warning devices, washer fluid, and bottled water.

For more driving safety tips,check out the Erie Insurance website.

Related posts:

• Save on auto insurance with an online defensive driving course
• Some ideas for saving money on car insurance
• How is your auto insurance premium determined?

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Kids heading to college? Check your insurance

If have a child heading to college, you should check in with your insurance agent to make sure your coverages are up to date.

Your homeowners insurance likely will provide some coverage automatically. Homeowners policies cover “resident relatives,” so as long as your child’s legal residence is your home address, they are covered. Some companies (like Erie Insurance) provide full coverage for personal property worldwide, while other companies limit the amount of coverage or the territory of coverage.

You may want to consider extra coverage on valuable items that will get a lot of use at college. Laptop computers, musical instruments, and other valuable portable items may be exposed to breakage or other damage that a typical homeowners policy doesn’t cover.

If your child chooses to live in an apartment rather than a dorm, the landlord may require a separate renter’s policy. This can get complicated if unrelated people share the apartment.

If they leave their car at home, you will probably be eligible for a significant discount. On the other hand, if they take the car to college, some companies rerate the coverage based on the new location – often at a significant increase in cost.

Related posts:

• Do you need special coverage for your jewelry?
• What insurance should you have if you rent an apartment?

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Insurance for landlords

Rental properties can be an good source of investment income, but they also expose the owner to potential for significant claims.   Landlords coverages vary widely from company to company; here are some issues to consider when reviewing your coverages:

Building Coverage: Can be written on a replacement cost basis or actual cash value basis. A few companies are now offering market value. Some policies provide automatic coverage for garages and sheds, but you should check if this is a concern.

Contents Coverage: Check to see if appliances are considered contents or part of the building coverage (this varies by company). If you have other contents on the premises, be sure to add this coverage. Pay special attention to lawn tractors and maintenance equipment, particularly if you move them between locations.

Rental Income Protection: If you just carry a fire policy, it probably doesn’t provide any protection for loss of income. Most landlord’s policies do provide this important coverage, either for a specific dollar amount or a specific time period (typically 12 months). This coverage protects you if you have a fire or other covered loss and are unable to rent the property.

Liability Protection: Protects you against lawsuits brought by anyone injured on the premises. It usually includes medical payments coverage as well.

Related links:

• Do you need an umbrella?
• Who pays for an apartment fire?
• Should you take a higher deductible to save money?

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Auto accidents: What if the other guy has no insurance?

All car accidents are unpleasant. If you are injured, a car accident can be a real strain, both physically and financially. But what if the other party is at fault, and you find out he has no insurance or just the minimum limits?

There are three coverages that come into play:

Collision: If you have collision coverage on your car, it covers you regardless of who is at fault. If you don’t have collision and the other guy doesn’t have insurance, you are out of luck.

Personal Injury Protection: This is the no-fault coverage for medical expenses for all occupants of your car.  It also provides limited coverage for loss of wages.  The state minimum is $50,000 per person, but we recommend that you purchase the maximum (currently $175,000 per person).

Uninsured Motorist Coverage: This provides coverage when you get a judgment against the other driver, but he doesn’t have sufficient liability coverage. This coverage often comes into play with more serious accidents where you get a judgment to cover high medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and even permanent disability. The state minimum is only $25,000 per person, but we recommend at least $300,000. You may never use this coverage, but if you have a serious accident you’ll be glad you have it.

Want to review your auto insurance? Give me a call or drop me an email.

Related posts:

• Some ideas for saving money on car insurance
• Do you need an umbrella?
• Save with an online defensive driving course

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Do you need special coverage for your jewelry?

Do you have valuable jewelry? Homeowners and renters policies cover jewelry, but with limits for theft coverage. For instance, Erie Insurance automatically provides $3,000 for theft of jewelry (other companies often have much lower limits, typically $1,000).

The best way to cover jewelry is to add a special endorsement or rider.  Special jewelry coverage provides the limits you need, and typically expands coverage to include loss of a stone and mysterious disappearance (we even paid for a diamond ring that was lost while swimming). For more valuable items, you will need an appraisal or bill of sale with a detailed description.

Some homeowners policies have an option to increase the limit for theft of jewelry.  This works well if you have several items and theft is your primary concern.

Give me a call or drop me an email if you have jewelry you would like to protect.

Related posts:

• Making a home inventory
• Homeowners Insurance – How much coverage do you need?
• What insurance should you have if you rent an apartment?

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Safety tips: Safeguard your home when vacationing

Are you heading on vacation this summer? Here are a few tips from Erie Insurance and Albion Agencies to help you safeguard your home while you are traveling:

Secure your home:

•  Lock and fasten all doors and windows, including those within an attached garage. For added security, insert a nail or a screw into the frame of lower-level windows above the closed pane to prevent them from being lifted.

•  Secure sliding glass doors by placing a metal rod or piece of plywood in the track.

Create an “at-home appearance:

•  Leave a locked vehicle in the driveway or let a neighbor park their vehicle in your driveway.

•  Never leave a message on your answering machine saying you are out of town.

•  Inside, use timers to turn lamps, radios and televisions on and off at regular intervals.

•  Outside, keep the perimeter of your home well lit by installing low-voltage outdoor lighting.

•  Stop your mail and newspapers, or have a trusted friend or neighbor pick them up. If you are planning an extended vacation, arrange for someone to mow your lawn.

Other precautions:

•  Trim trees and shrubs near any point of entry to your home.

•  Install motion sensitive lighting outdoors.

•  Put cash_, jewelry or important papers in your safe deposit box. Do not leave valuable items in the bedroom (that’s the first place a thief will look).

•  Make sure valuable items inside your home are not visible from the street.

Related articles:

• Do you need to buy the insurance when renting a car?
• Water safety for children
• Homeowners Insurance: How much coverage do you need?

Do you have any ideas for insurance safety articles? Please drop me an email, or comment below. Thanks!

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Water safety for children

Here are some safety tips to help keep your children safe, courtesy of Erie Insurance:

Never allow a child to be alone in the water. Drowning is a leading cause of death for children between one and four years of age. Children should always have an adult supervising their activity in the water.

Keep pools covered.  Protective pool covers can keep young children from accidentally entering the water when no adults are around.

Install a childproof gate with an alarm. A childproof gate will prevent most children from entering the pool area. Should the gate be opened, the alarm will sound to alert an adult that someone is in the pool area.

Remove toys from the water.  Children may be tempted to go in the water when an adult is not around to retrieve their toys.

Keep life vests on and life preservers within reach.  If a young child falls into the pool while playing, a life preserver could save his or her life.

Learn and live.  Insist that family, friends and babysitters learn CPR. Enroll children in a professional swimming instruction course.

For more on pool safety, check out Erie’s Pool Safety Rules.

Related articles:

• Safety tips: outdoor grilling
• Spring home safety
• Safety tips: outdoor chores

Do you have any ideas for insurance safety articles? Please drop me an email, or comment below. Thanks!

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Do you need an umbrella?

You have to look no further than your local paper or the Internet to read about the barrage of lawsuits in our court systems today. Settlements in the millions of dollars are more commonplace than ever before. What if you accidentally injure someone and you are the one being sued? Your auto and homeowner’s policies may provide liability coverage, but it may not be enough.

We offer personal umbrella policies (also called excess liability or catastrophe liability) through several companies.  A personal umbrella policy provides an additional $1 million or more of coverage over your basic liability protection. It  provides an additional layer of coverage to keep you and your family more financially secure.

A personal umbrella policy typically includes these features:

• Extra protection if a covered driver causes an accident and is liable for injury to others or property damage.
• Extra protection if someone is hurt on your property.
• Covers family members, worldwide, for actions that may cause injury to others or property damage.

Personal umbrella policies usually start at about $150 in our area for $1,000,000 coverage.  Call us for a personalized quote on this important protection.

Related links:

• What’s the big deal with dogs and homeowners insurance?
• Should your teenage children have their own insurance?

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Calculating your life insurance needs

As your life changes, you should review your life insurance to make sure your coverage is still appropriate for your needs.

Some insurance people just use a multiple of five to ten times your salary to determine your insurance needs. This can be a good place to start, but it doesn’t take into account your specific financial situation and resources.

When we counsel clients to help determine their life insurance needs, we like to look at the total financial situation.  Some of the factors we consider include:

• Outstanding debt (mortgage, credit cards, etc)
• Funding for college
• Income to be replaced, and for how long
• Final expenses
• Other resources (savings, other income sources, and other insurance)

I would be happy to assist you with determining your needs, regardless of whether you buy your life insurance from us.  Just give me a call or drop me an email.

Related posts:

• When should you think about life insurance?
• When should you buy long-term care insurance?

Drop by www.albionagencies.com or get in touch with me for more information on life insurance solutions for you and your family.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Save on auto insurance with an online defensive driving course

For years, New York State has had a Point and Insurance Reduction Program that allows drivers to take a defensive driving course and save on their insurance and reduce points on their licenses.  Because the course requires 8 hours of classroom time, it has been more popular among retirees, students,  and those with poor driving records.

Now the State has approved several internet options that make the program much more attractive for the rest of us.  You still have to spend about 6 hours on the computer, but you have full control over the timing;  you can take breaks when you want and complete the course on your own schedule.

The online courses cost about $40-50. Upon completion, you will receive a 10% discount on your liability and collision insurance premiums for the car you drive.  This discount applies for three years.

If you prefer a traditional classroom course, there are regular courses held in the Albion area.  Call our office for details on upcoming courses.

Here are the links for the four currently-approved online courses:

• American Safety Council, Inc.
• National Point and Insurance Reduction Course, Inc.
• I DRIVE SAFELY
• USA Training Company, Inc.

Related posts:

• Some ideas for saving money on car insurance
• How is your auto insurance premium determined?

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Safety tips: outdoor grilling

Here are some safety tips from the Erie Insurance website:

Each year about 600 fires/explosions occur with gas grills, causing injuries. Many of the accidents happen the first time a grill is ignited for the season or after the grill’s gas container is refilled and reattached.

Before you plan your next outdoor cookout, review these safety tips:

• Check grill hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes and leaks. Make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose or tubing.
• Make sure your grill’s propane tank has a three-prong gas valve handle. As of April 1, 2002, the three-prong design replaced a five-prong handle as the safety standard.
• Move gas hoses as far away as possible from hot surfaces and dripping hot grease.
• Always keep propane gas containers upright.
• Never store a spare gas container under or near the grill or indoors.
• Never store or use flammable liquids, like gasoline, near the grill.
• Never keep a filled container in a hot car or car trunk. Heat will cause the gas pressure to increase, which may open the relief valve and allow gas to escape.
• Make sure your spark igniter is consistently generating a spark to create a flame and burn the propane gas. If the flame is not visible, the heavier-than-air propane gas may be escaping and could cause an explosion.
• Never bring the propane tank into the house.
• When using barbecue grills on decks or patios, be sure to leave sufficient space from siding and eaves.
• Keep children and pets far away from grills.

Charcoal Grill Safety Tips

Keep in mind that charcoal when burned in grills produces carbon monoxide (CO). CO is a colorless, odorless gas that can accumulate to toxic levels in closed environments. Each year about 17 people die as a result of CO fumes from charcoal being burned indoors or in a poorly ventilated area. To reduce the risk of CO poisoning:

• Never burn charcoal inside of homes, vehicles, tents or campers.
• Charcoal should never be used indoors, even if ventilation is provided.
• Since charcoal produces CO fumes until the charcoal is completely extinguished, do not store the grill indoors with freshly used coals.

Related articles:

• Spring home safety
• Safety tips: outdoor chores

Do you have any ideas for insurance safety articles? Please drop me an email, or comment below. Thanks!

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.

Traveling to Canada? Get a Canadian insurance card!

As of June 1st, it’s getting more difficult to cross the border to Canada. You and your passengers will need a passport, passport card, or enhanced drivers license (children under 16 can still use a birth certificate).

While you are checking your documentation, make sure you have a Canadian insurance card for any vehicle that will be driven in Canada. You don’t need special insurance in Canada, but you do need to have their insurance card if you are stopped. Though it’s rarely an issue in the Niagara Falls area, we have had situations where our customers have had hassles when traveling deeper into Canada.

Canadian cards are free and are good until you switch cars or insurance companies. If we handle your insurance, we would be happy to type them up for you.

Related posts:

• Do you need to buy the insurance when renting a car?
• Some ideas for saving money on car insurance
• How is your auto insurance premium determined?

For more information, drop by our website at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to determine your specific insurance needs.