Prepare a Home Inventory

 

If you were the victim of a major natural disaster and suddenly found yourself with
nothing left, would you remember everything you lost? When is the last time you counted
the number of CDs you own or took stock of the current value of your TV and video
equipment, not to mention your clothing, jewelry and other personal belongings? Too
often, we forget about personal valuables that are stored in closets or drawers. An
inventory will help you remember what you have so you can accurately document your
losses to your insurance company. For example, your insurance company will be less
likely to dispute the value of your antique teapot collection if you have photographs, sales
receipts and other documentation to prove it.

• Make a detailed written or videotaped inventory of your property and house-hold
 possessions. Take a video camera and go through every room, taping and describing what
 you see. For valuable items, note when and where you purchased them and how much
 you paid for them. Include the serial numbers of major appliances.
• Don't forget to inventory the garage, attic, basement and the exterior of your house,
 including landscaping and fencing.
• Update the inventory yearly.
• Keep your inventory, insurance policies and other important documents in a safedeposit
 box and keep a duplicate set in a fire- and water-proof container at home. Include
 important documents such as wills, deeds, titles, stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit,
 passports, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, income tax returns, birth
 certificates and so on.

STORM-PROOF YOUR HOME
• Keep your home in tip-top shape to protect it against the damage of heavy winds or
 rain. Make sure your roof, windows and doors are not in need of major repair.
• Position cribs/beds away from windows or tall furniture that could slide or topple.
• If you live in a hurricane-prone area, purchase sheets of plywood to cover your home's
 windows and store them in your garage or shed. If you wait until a storm is imminent,
 your local hardware store may be sold out.
• Bolt bookcases and other tall pieces of furniture to the wall.
• Power generators are often used during power outages. If you own one, make sure it is
 well maintained and that all family members know how to operate it properly.
• If you live in a mobile home, make sure it is securely anchored down.
• If you own a boat, make sure it is securely moored.
• If there is a fire hydrant near your home, make sure it is clear of debris and can easily be
 located by the fire department.
• Remove low branches and dead trees from around your house.
• Clear debris from the chimney, gutters and vents.

Summer Storm Recovery Tips

 

Independent insurance agents not only advise clients about insurance, but they’re disaster
readiness consultants. It is imperative to know what your risks are and what to do in the
event of a hurricane. We recommend meeting with a Trusted Choice® independent
insurance agent who can consult with you in assessing your risks and ensuring that you, your
family and your home are prepared in the event of a disaster. Trusted Choice® offers many disaster-specific readiness and recovery tips for consumers.

GETTING STARTED
A good way to begin your planning process is to gather as much information as you can.
There are numerous resources available to guide you through the process of getting your
household prepared to deal with a disaster. Trusted Choice® offers many
disaster-specific readiness and recovery tips for consumers including the following
suggestions to get started:

• Make a list of each of your insurance policy numbers and the insurance company name,
and keep the information in your wallet, purse, or on your mobile device. For example,
nearly all states use some form of a wallet-size auto ID card, which is required to be kept
on your person, or in the vehicle. It's a good idea to do have similar information with you
on all your other insurance coverages.
• Make a record of your insurance agent's web site address, and keep this information in
your wallet, purse or mobile device. After a widespread catastrophe, more and more
agencies post information about claims procedures on their web site. This is especially
important in cases where the agency itself has been affected, and has set up temporary
operations at another location. In addition, agency web sites will usually post emergency
insurance claim phone numbers, etc.
• Use social media to contact your insurance agent. Many agencies use some form of
social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, etc., and these information outlets can provide
vital, timely information about claims procedures and other necessary information for
policyholders.
• Find out how you and your neighbors would be informed about an imminent disaster.
• Ask if evacuation routes have been established.
• Contact your city's or town's planning and emergency assistance organizations. Ask
them for information about disaster planning.
• Contact your children's school(s) or day care center to learn about the emergency plans
they have in place.
• If a family member is in an elder care facility, check to see what emergency procedures
they will follow.
• Take a First Aid/CPR class from the American Red Cross.
• If you have pets, have a contingency plan in place. Many emergency shelters won't
accept them.

 .....Next make a Home Inventory

 

From Trusted Choice http://www.trustedchoice.com/

This Summer, Get In the Water-and Get Out, Safely

A cool swim on a hot day is an American tradition. As temperatures rise, most folks want to get into the water—whether at the ocean, lake or pool.

Pools present dangers, particularly for young kids. Each year, some 3,500 deaths—about 10 per day—are cause by drowning, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And another 4,000 people are treated at hospital emergency visits total for injuries and trauma related to pool accidents.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) notes that drowning is the second-leading cause of injury death for children ages one to 14. Each year, 283 children under age five die in America’s pools and spas, a statistic that has worsened since the turn of the century. Most deaths and injuries related to pools occur on residential properties. Most involve children ages one to two, according to the commission.

Here are the problems that lead to children drowning in pools:

Unprotected pools. Pools must be treated as attractive nuisances, meaning children will want to get to them to play. One risk: Pools with a three-sided fence where the home forms the fourth side of the barrier. That simply means children can gain access to the water through a door rather than over a fence. Other problems include frost heaving that opens a gap in a fence gate, and wooden fences that rot and break.

“Little children are fiendishly clever and they can get away,” pointed out Dr. Jonathan Midgett of the CPSC. “For those brief moments when children elude us, we need layers of protection around our pools. The more obstacles between your child and the pool, the better! Fences need to isolate the pool from the house; have well-maintained self-closing, self-latching gates; and [have] back-up layers of protection, like sensors and alarms.”

Faulty equipment. Suction outlets in pools and whirlpools are a hazard to catch hair and fingers. Anti-entrapment drain covers must be secured in place.

No rules for the pool. Parents may rely on a neighbor, friend or caregiver/babysitter when children are in a pool this summer. Children must be made to understand that, whoever the authority figure is, they must respect that person’s directions. Make safety rules for the pool clear before anyone sets foot inside the pool area.

Poor supervision. Doctors put it bluntly. “Never leave your children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment,” advises the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The doctors’ group adds a rule of “touch supervision” with children younger than five years. This means that the supervising adult is within an arm’s length of the child at all times.

Children can drown in a pool full of people. This happens when no one adult is designated to supervise the pool or if the supervisor isn’t paying proper attention. The CPSC recommends at least one adult taking responsible for watching children around the water.

“This person should avoid distracting activities that can take their attention away,” explained Dr. Julie Gilchrist of the CDC. Distractions include: playing cards, reading, checking e-mail, and talking on the phone. In the time it takes to do these things, a child may quietly slip under water. “Drownings happen quickly and usually silently,” she added.

Anyone who owns or uses a pool should consider learning basic first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). “CPR can make a big difference by reducing the likelihood of brain damage in the few minutes it takes for 911 emergency responders to arrive,” Gilchrist, a medical epidemiologist, noted.

Swim lessons. Learning to swim is not just recreational, but a way to teach children how to save themselves, noted the CDC. Yet even strong swimmers must be supervised, no matter what age.

Any homeowner who has a pool—whether in-ground, above ground, or inflatable/temporary— should have liability insurance coverage, including umbrella liability coverage. 

From Trusted Choice: http://www.trustedchoice.com/

Customer Appreciation Event

Holt and Dimondale Agency

Customer Appreciation Event

_________________________

         Date: August 26, 2011

Time: Noon to 5pm

Where: Holt & Dimondale Agency parking lot

              2129 Aurelius Rd, Holt

Al Higgins of Century Glass is donning his BBQ apron and will be firing up his grill to provide the community with an exceptional offer!!

________________________________________________________

Al will provide lunch – Dogs on the grill when you bring
your car in for a “free” stone chip repair! That means no charge to you for an improved windshield. A free lunch and an opportunity to make a donation to the Holt Food Bank!

________________________________________________________

We look forward to seeing you, come support your hometown!

When Your Commercial Building is Vacant

When a commercial building is vacant or unoccupied, there are generally two problems. The property is exposed to an increased amount of risk; for example, it becomes a target for vandals. In addition, discovery of a loss may be delayed; a water pipe can burst and go undetected for days. As a result of the increased risk and delay in detection, insurance policies are not as broad when a property is considered vacant.

 

Defining Vacancy

In the mid 1990's, commercial property policies started defining exactly when a building is considered vacant. The definition is found in the conditions section of the policy. With each new edition of the policy, the definiton has be revised. Today, you must review the actual policy covering a building in order to determine which definition of vacancy will apply. Some policies state that a building is considered vacant unless at least 31% of the total square footage is being used to conduct customary operations. This would mean that if only one floor of a four story building is being used, the vacancy restrictions of the policy would apply.

The Threshold

For a short period of time, vacancy is not a problem because the vacancy condition in a commercial property policy contains a threshold. Usually after the building has been "vacant" for either 30 or 60 days, the restricitions on coverage are activated.

Restrictions on Coverage

-Excluded Perils

There is no coverage for six causes of loss: theft, attempted theft, vandalism, glass breakage, water damage, and sprinkler leakage.

-Reduced Coverage

For other covered perils, payment of a loss is reduced by 15%. With a $100,000 fire loss, the policy will only pay $85,000.

 

When a building is unoccupied or vacant, be certain to check the vacancy condition in your property policy. If you are not certain how the provision will apply, get it cleared up before the loss and get it in writing. When your building is vacant check with your agent and ask them your options. He/She should be able to negotiate coverage through an endorsement, vacancy permit, or special vacancy policy. Remember, most carriers do not hesitate to activate the vacancy provisions of a policy if the conditions at the time of claim warrant it.

 

Written by: Phyllis Van Wyhe, CPCU, CIC, CSP

When Your Home is Vacant

When a home is unoccupied or vacant, there are two primary problems. The house can become a target for vandalism and theft; in addition, a water loss will often go undetected for a long period of time causing more extensive damage. The insurance industry experiences more frequent and severe losses on dwellings that are vacant or unoccupied.

Impact on Coverage

Your Homeowners insurance policy will respond differently if your home is vacant at the time of loss. Most Homeowners policies exclude vandalism coverage after a home is vacant for longer than 60 days. The policy also does not cover frozen pipes if you have no maintained the heat or drained the pipes.

Coverage Denial

Even worse, some insurance companies deny a claim entirely when a home is unoccupied or vacant. The policy states, "we cover the dwelling where you reside." The insurance company may contend that coverage ceased the day you stopped living there on a regular basis. Many courts have upheld such a denial of coverage when the policyholder is no longer living in the home, even in the belongings were left there.

Season Dwellings

Increased loss exposures also exist on seasonal dwellings, but the insurance industry looks at those homes differently. A company is usually willing to insure the summer cottage up north as long as they know you have someone checking on the building when you are not there. However at the time of loss with a season dwelling, your insurance company may ask for documentation at to the number of days you have spent there over the past few years, to determine whether the dwelling is actually used as a seasonal residence or is actually an unoccupied dwelling that is not used. In the later case, the company may deny coverage on the basis that you no longer reside there.

If your home is vacant or unoccupied, notify your agent promptly disclosing all details. Some companies may permit the situation for a short period of time; most will send out direct notice of cancellation. Your agent can offer you a specialty policy covering a vacant dwelling; unfortunately, the terms of that policy are never as good as those of the Homeowners policy. When discussing the occupancy of your home, you should be totally candid about the circumstances. If an insurance company denies a claim, you may end up paying for an attorney to challenge their decision. That can be expensive and time consuing and you may lose. It is much better to simply have the proper coverage.

 

-Written by: Phyllis Van Wyhe, CPCU, CIC, CSP

Dont ask after the accident happens!

 

Jet Ski's are a ton of fun, but serious stuff. You need to call your agent, and see how your covered, and dont ASSUME its covered, because its not. Don't make me say NO, when you have a problem.

 

"Personal Watercraft Insurance

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Coverage Options
It's a common myth that your personal watercraft is adequately covered under your homeowner's or renter's policy. In most cases, you need additional coverage. A Foremost insurance policy, on the other hand, can give you more security and more value for your money.

Important Coverages
For real peace of mind as you're out on the water, you need a policy that provides a wide range of coverages. These coverages should include:

• Physical Damage
• Liability
• Wreck Removal
• Pollution Liability Coverage
• Watersports Liability
• Medical Payments Coverage primary

Optional Coverages
For extra protection, and because not everyone's needs are the same, Foremost offers a variety of coverage options:

• Increased limits on Liability
• Uninsured Watercraft
• Accessory Coverage
• Personal Property
• Towing and Assistance
• Trailer Coverage
• Liability-Only

Broad Eligibility
A Foremost policy will cover almost all makes and models of personal watercraft. And Foremost also has a specialized program for boats."

 

http://www.foremost.com/products/personal-watercraft/coverage-options.asp