Month: January 2014

Is a Home Security System Right for You?

Posted on by shasha insurance

We are a nation of conspicuous consumers, filling our homes with all kinds of electronics from computers to Wii consoles. While all of these gadgets are designed to make staying at home more fun, owning them can make your home an attractive target for burglars. According to 2006 FBI crime statistics, 66.2 percent of all reported burglaries were home break-ins. The average dollar loss per burglary offense in 2006 was $1,834. If you have a lot of expensive personal belongings, installing a home security system may be a good idea.

In addition to protecting your valuables, you may also want to consider the need to protect your family’s safety. FBI statistics show that 63.1 percent of all home burglaries in 2006 happened during the day. What would happen to you and your family if a burglar attempted to break in while you were home? Installing a home security system provides you with peace if mind, knowing that your loved ones are protected.

When you are tying to decide if you should install a security system, here are some other things you should consider:

  • Are you living in a high-crime area? – Long time residents in a neighborhood know the likelihood of their home being burglarized. If you live in a high-crime area, you probably need a security system. If you’ve just moved into a neighborhood, do some research to find out how high a risk there is for being burglarized so you can determine if you need additional security.
  • Is your home inviting to burglars? – There are certain circumstances that mark your home as a target, such as living in a ground floor apartment, being surrounded by thick bushes and trees, having old doors and windows that are easy to break into, or living on a poorly-lit street where people are seldom around. If any of these descriptions apply to your home, you may want to consider a home security system.
  • How expensive is it to own a system? – There are a number of security systems to choose from, with a wide range of prices. Keep in mind that the more sophisticated the technology, the higher the price. However, you should be able to find something within your budget that will give you the protection you need.
  • Does your homeowner’s insurance offer a discount if you install a system? – Most insurance companies will give you a premium discount if you install any kind of home security system. The amount of the discount will depend on the type of system you choose. If you install a home security system that has monitoring services, the discount can range up to 20 percent. Check with your insurance agent to see what your insurer offers.

Are there steps you can take to minimize the need for a security system? – There are some low tech ways to burglar proof your home, such as, installing dead-bolt locks, replacing hollow doors with doors made of metal or solid hard wood, installing a wide-angle peephole in the door, replacing old or cracked windows, installing removable rods to prevent windows from being opened, and pruning bushes and trees that surround your house.

Use Foresight When It Comes to Protecting Your Eyes

Posted on by shasha insurance

The way we see involves a complex interplay between light, brain and eye. When light strikes an object in your field of vision, the rays enter each eye and hit the eye’s lens. The rays stimulate the nerves in the lens, which carry messages to the brain. The brain takes the message it receives from each eye’s lens and fuses it into a sharp single picture. Because this mechanism is so complex, it is also extremely vulnerable to injury. Therefore, protecting your eyes from damage at work should be one of your major concerns.

One of the best ways to protect your eyes is by using safety glasses. Safety glasses are so effective in preventing injury that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) incorporated specific guidelines into its standard, 29 CFR 1910.1333, as to when you should use them. If your work exposes you to hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation, OSHA mandates that you wear safety glasses.

OSHA also requires that you use safety glasses with side protection when you face a hazard from flying objects. Detachable side protectors, such as clip-on or slide-on side shields, are permitted as long as they meet the agency’s requirements of providing full protection from flying objects.

If you wear prescription lenses, you are still required to wear safety glasses if the possibility of eye injury exists. You have two options. You can wear eye protection that has your prescription incorporated into its design. Or, you can use eye protection that can be worn over your prescription lenses, as long as doing so doesn’t disturb the proper position of the prescription lenses or the protective lenses.

In addition to wearing safety glasses, you should protect your eyes by having a thorough eye examination every two years. Many diseases can affect the eyes. However, changes in vision are usually gradual, which is why it is so important to monitor eye health with regular examinations.

Here are a few other tips to help you keep your eyes healthy:

·   Don’t use over-the-counter eye remedies or treatments unless advised by your doctor.

·   Don’t wear sunglasses for night driving or in fog.

·   Don’t look directly at the sun, even while wearing sunglasses.

·   Don’t work in dimly lit areas.

·   Don’t rub your eyes with dirty hands.

Sometimes you must accept a little discomfort, inconvenience or expense in order to protect your eyes, but the sacrifice is well worth it. If the unexpected happens, your protective eyewear could make the difference between keeping your sight and losing it.

Spring into the New Season with a Flood Insurance Check

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The Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) is reminding homeowners that warmer temperatures not only signal the coming of spring, but they also contribute to snowmelts, which increases the risk of flooding in some parts of the country.  Hence, there is no better time than now to review your flood insurance to ensure you are adequately covered against flood-related damage.

No region of the U.S. is immune from floods, including inland flooding, flash floods and seasonal storms. In fact, over 20 percent of all flood insurance claims are filed in low-to-moderate flood-risk areas. However, specific parts of nine U.S. states are especially vulnerable to flooding in the spring of 2007, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) weather service. In these geographic areas there is either a high soil moisture level or an above normal snowfall over the winter months that is now melting. These regions include:

·            Southeastern Colorado

·            Northern Illinois

·            Eastern Iowa

·            Southeastern Minnesota

·            Southwestern New York

·            Northeastern Ohio

·            Northwestern Pennsylvania

·            Eastern South Dakota

·            Southern Wisconsin

The I.I.I. is advising residents in these areas to be especially vigilant about their flood insurance coverage. It is also recommending that even if you don’t live in one of these locations, you should still consider purchasing flood insurance because 90 percent of all natural disasters in the U.S. involve some type of flooding. There is a 30-day waiting period for flood insurance policies to take effect, so it is imperative to apply before the season gets under way.

The agency has established the following points for homeowners to consider if they are thinking about buying flood insurance:

§ Standard homeowner’s and renter’s insurance does not cover flood damage: Only a flood insurance policy, available to homeowners and renters through the federal government, will cover flood-related losses.

§ Flood insurance is easy to purchase: Federal flood insurance policies can be purchased directly from an insurance agent, and are available to communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Nearly 100 insurance companies write and service NFIP policies.

§ Flood insurance is affordable: The annual premium for a residential NFIP policy starts at $112 per year, according to FEMA, and increases according to the level of flood risk and amount of coverage needed. The maximum coverage amount is $250,000 for the structure of the home and $100,000 for its contents.

§ It is easy to assess your flood risk: More than 20,000 communities in all 50 U.S. states and territories voluntarily participate in the NFIP, encompassing nearly all properties in the nation’s high-risk flood zones. Enter your address at https://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/riskassesment/findpropertyform.jsp to determine your level of flood risk.

§ Excess flood insurance policies add an extra layer of coverage: A growing number of private insurers have begun offering excess flood policies, intended to provide water damage protection to homeowners over and above the limits provided by the NFIP policies.

§ Without insurance, relief from floods primarily comes in the form of loans: If your community is declared a disaster area, no-interest or low-interest loans are usually made available by the federal government as part of the recovery effort. These loans are just that—loans—and must be paid back. Obtaining a flood insurance policy is the only way to protect yourself fully from the cost of flooding.

Property Coverage for Businesses with Changing Needs

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Some businesses have very stable property insurance needs as the value of their non-building property doesn’t vary much during the year. For example, an accountant’s office will have furniture, telephones, computers, reference books, and so on. The replacement costs of these items won’t be much different in July than they were in April. Other types of businesses, however, experience wide variations in the values of their property. Florists tend to carry more stock around Valentine’s Day and Mothers’ Day than they do on most days of the year. Many retailers earn most of their profits during the holiday shopping season, so they must keep larger amounts of stock on hand. Warehouses and manufacturers may have highly variable amounts of goods for sale. Depending on the flow of orders, the value of their stock may change greatly from month to month or even more frequently.

A traditional property insurance policy, with one set limit of insurance for personal property, will not meet the needs of businesses like these. To secure enough insurance, they would have to buy an amount large enough to cover those times when values are at their peak. However, for much of the year they would be paying for more insurance than they need. Businesses in this situation may want to consider two coverage options: Peak season coverage and value reporting coverage.

Peak season coverage is appropriate for firms that can predict those time periods when their values will increase. Examples are florists, toy, electronics and clothing retailers during the holiday season, school supply stores in late summer, and costume shops in October. The coverage form states the location and type of the property, the amount of additional insurance, and the period of time during which the higher amount applies. For example, it might show that insurance on goods for sale will increase by $100,000 from October 1 to January 1. This gives the business plenty of coverage for the busy time but saves it from having to pay for all that coverage the rest of the year.

Value reporting coverage is for those firms with values that fluctuate all year long. This coverage requires the firm to buy an amount of insurance large enough to take care of the peak periods. However, the insurance company will charge a lower initial premium than that amount would ordinarily require. The firm then must make periodic reports of its values to the insurance company. Depending on the option chosen, the firm will send reports monthly, quarterly, or once per year. Again depending on the chosen option, the reports can show values as of the end of each business day, week, month, quarter or year. After the firm has submitted all of its reports for the policy period, the insurance company determines the firm’s average values and calculates the final premium.

Firms that choose the value reporting coverage must take care to submit the required reports on time and accurately. The form gives the insurance company the right to reduce claim payments for losses to the property when reports are late. The company can also reduce a loss payment if it finds that the firm underreported its values. The limit of insurance does not automatically increase if the reports show values higher than the limit; the firm must request an increase in coverage.

Any firm with variable property values would be wise to consider purchasing one of these types of coverage. With some careful planning, a business can limit its insurance costs while still getting the coverage it needs.

NAIC Offers Tips to Expedite Your Insurance Claim

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Filing an insurance claim can seem like an overwhelming task, but it doesn’t have to be. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has put together the following tips to help policyholders facilitate the process:

  • Know your policy – Your insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurance company. Know the terms of that contract, including what’s covered, what’s excluded and the amount of any deductibles.
  • File claims as soon as possible – Call your agent or your insurer’s claims hotline as soon as possible. Your policy might require notification within a certain time frame.
  • Provide complete, correct information – Be certain to give your insurance company all the information they need. Incorrect or incomplete information will only cause a delay in processing your claim.
  • Keep copies of all correspondence – Write down information about your telephone and in-person contacts, including the date, name and title of the person you spoke with and what was said. Also, keep a record of your time and expenses.
  • Ask questions – If there is a disagreement about the claim settlement, ask the insurer for the specific language in the policy that explains the reason why the claim was settled in that manner. If this disagreement results in a claim denial, make sure you obtain a written letter explaining the reason for the denial and the specific policy language under which the claim is being denied. If you have a dispute with your insurer about the amount or terms of the claim settlement, you should contact your state insurance department for assistance.
  • Make temporary repairs to protect property from further damage – Your auto/homeowners policy might require you to make temporary repairs. If possible, take photographs or video of the damage before making such repairs. Your policy should cover the cost of temporary repairs, so keep all receipts. Also, maintain any damaged personal property for the adjuster to inspect.
  • Don’t make permanent repairs – An insurance company may deny a claim if you make permanent repairs before the damage has been inspected.
  • Try to determine what it will cost to repair your property before you meet with the claims adjuster – Provide the claims adjuster with records of any improvements you made to your property. Ask the claims adjuster for an itemized explanation of the claim settlement offer.

Don’t rush into a settlement – If the first offer made by an insurance company does not meet your expectations, be prepared to negotiate. If you have any questions regarding the fairness of your settlement, seek professional advice. 

Workplace Assaults on the Rise

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A new study on workplace violence, sponsored by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), finds that while workplace murder rates have declined, the number of assaults has been rising. The NCCI noted that from 1992 to 1999, the assault rate had been declining until it reached a level of about 16,000 incidents. However, for the last five years this level has ranged from 16,000 and 18,000 while normal workplace injuries continue to decline.Even though workplace assault rates have increased, NCCI said these rates are still significantly lower than the assault rate experienced by the general population.

The report found that 60 percent of all workplace assaults are concentrated in health services, social assistance, and personal care occupations.The NCCI said research at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health uncovered a number of factors that increase the likelihood of workplace violence:

·   Working in health care or social services fields with persons who may tend to be mentally unstable or violent

·   Having contact with the public, especially involving the exchange of money

·   Having a mobile workplace, such as a taxicab or delivery truck

·   Guarding property or possessions

·   Working alone, especially in high-crime areas

The design of the workplace shouldn’t make it easy for a worker to be assaulted. Workers should be physically separated from the general public by installing counters that are high enough and with enough depth to make physical contact impossible. Bullet-resistant barriers can provide additional protection.

Large amounts of cash on premises can create an incentive for assault. To minimize this risk, keep only enough cash on hand to operate efficiently. Use drop safes to store excess cash, and post signs stating that only a limited amount of cash is on site. Wherever possible, install machines that accommodate automatic teller cards, credit or debit cards.

Entrances and exits should be assessed to see how easy it is for the general public to gain access to work areas when doors are left unlocked or propped open. Survey hallways and other recessed areas where attackers can hide. Include refuse areas, outdoor refrigeration areas and other storage facilities that workers must use during a shift in this evaluation. Install security cameras in these places so they can be continually monitored.

Check landscaping to see if bushes provide enough coverage for an attacker to lay in wait and surprise a worker. Evaluate parking lots to determine if they have good lighting and that all parking spaces are visible; not hidden by refuse containers or foliage.

Security technology also reduces the risk for assaults against workers. Such technology includes exterior lighting that illuminates doorways, closed-circuit cameras, silent alarms, two-way mirrors, key-card access systems, and panic-bar equipped doors that lock from the outside only. 

Think Twice Before Leaving a Child Unattended in a Car

Posted on by shasha insurance
According to www.kidsandcars.org, as of December 2007, 942 children in the U.S. were involved in accidents because they were left unattended in or around a car. Of that total, 231 resulted in fatalities.
Tragedies like these can be prevented if parents exercise some extra caution. Here are a few tips to help keep your child safe:
• Teach your children that they should never play in the car without adult supervision.
• Lock your car and put the keys in a place where your children can’t find them.
• Place something you need like your cell phone, handbag, or briefcase on the floor in front of the back seat when you get into the car. This forces you to retrieve the item when you arrive at your destination and you will be reminded of your child, quietly sleeping in the back seat.
• Keep rear fold-down seats closed to help prevent children from getting into the trunk from inside the car and open the trunk whenever you reach your destination. A child can easily slip inside an open trunk and hide. Install a trunk release mechanism and teach your older children how to use it.
• Keep a large teddy bear in the child’s car seat when it’s not occupied. When the child is placed in the seat, put the teddy bear in the front passenger seat. The teddy bear on the front seat will serve as a reminder that the child is in the car seat.
• Don’t ever leave a child in a car since it can quickly heat up, especially on a hot, sunny day. Children can easily become dehydrated and suffer from heat exposure, even if the windows are partially open. No matter how short a time you plan to be out of the car, take your child with you.
• Teach older children how to disable the driver’s door locks if they become trapped inside the car.
• Take your children out of the car before getting the groceries, dry cleaning, etc., when you get home.
• Be sure that child care providers check to make sure that children aren’t left in their car or van.
• Call 911 immediately if you see a child alone in a vehicle.

According to www.kidsandcars.org, as of December 2007, 942 children in the U.S. were involved in accidents because they were left unattended in or around a car. Of that total, 231 resulted in fatalities.Tragedies like these can be prevented if parents exercise some extra caution. Here are a few tips to help keep your child safe:• Teach your children that they should never play in the car without adult supervision.• Lock your car and put the keys in a place where your children can’t find them.• Place something you need like your cell phone, handbag, or briefcase on the floor in front of the back seat when you get into the car. This forces you to retrieve the item when you arrive at your destination and you will be reminded of your child, quietly sleeping in the back seat.• Keep rear fold-down seats closed to help prevent children from getting into the trunk from inside the car and open the trunk whenever you reach your destination. A child can easily slip inside an open trunk and hide. Install a trunk release mechanism and teach your older children how to use it.• Keep a large teddy bear in the child’s car seat when it’s not occupied. When the child is placed in the seat, put the teddy bear in the front passenger seat. The teddy bear on the front seat will serve as a reminder that the child is in the car seat.• Don’t ever leave a child in a car since it can quickly heat up, especially on a hot, sunny day. Children can easily become dehydrated and suffer from heat exposure, even if the windows are partially open. No matter how short a time you plan to be out of the car, take your child with you.• Teach older children how to disable the driver’s door locks if they become trapped inside the car.• Take your children out of the car before getting the groceries, dry cleaning, etc., when you get home.• Be sure that child care providers check to make sure that children aren’t left in their car or van.• Call 911 immediately if you see a child alone in a vehicle.

Traffic Crashes Cost Motorists Over $160 Billion Annually

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Lately Americans have been besieged by a number of economic worries: rising gas prices, a looming recession, the mortgage industry meltdown, and joblessness. However, according to AAA, there’s another concern that needs to be added to this list, the rising cost of traffic crashes.

Cambridge Systematics Inc., which conducted research on behalf of the Association, reported that crashes cost U.S. motorists $164.2 billion annually, or approximately $1,051 per person. In fact, some of the largest cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, suffer billions of dollars in accident costs each year. The total cost for the New York metropolitan is $18 billion a year, or about $962 per person. In Los Angeles, the cost is over $10 billion a year, or $817 per person.

This isn’t to imply that traffic crashes don’t take an economic toll on smaller communities. Residents of smaller cities actually shouldered a larger per-person burden than their big city counterparts. Crashes in the Little Rock-North Little Rock region in Arkansas cost $2,258 per person. In Pensacola, Florida, the cost was $1,772 a person, and in Columbia, South Carolina, the price tag averaged $1,568 a person.

Based on the data the study revealed, the AAA had some specific recommendations for lawmakers across the country that would help ease the financial burden:

  • Make safety more of a priority in transportation planning
  • Enact tougher laws for drunken and impaired driving
  • Pass primary enforcement seat belt laws, which permit law enforcement officers to stop motorists if their only offense is failing to use their seat belt.

Legislators in 26 states and the District of Columbia have primary enforcement laws. The remaining states have secondary enforcement laws. This type of legislation only allows law enforcement officers to issue tickets for seat belt violations if motorists are stopped for other offenses. New Hampshire has no seat belt law for adults.

The Association noted that in addition to the high monetary cost for traffic crashes; there is also a significant cost in terms of human life. Almost 43,000 people die each year on the nation’s roads, and the AAA believes that this statistic warrants treating traffic crashes as the public health threat they are.

Do Your Employees Drive Personal Vehicles for Business-Related Purposes?

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If an accident occurs while an employee or volunteer is operating their personal vehicle for company business, your company could be held liable.  Even when an employee is just running an errand, such as making a bank deposit, dropping off a proposal or picking up a part, if an accident occurs your company could suffer as a result.   

While you cannot insure a non-owned vehicle, there are other steps you can take to protect your company before a loss occurs. If your employees or volunteers use personal vehicles for company business, even if just occasionally, the following guidelines can help reduce your risk:

1.   Determine a minimum level of auto liability insurance your employees and/or volunteers must carry.  Also consider what documentation should be provided to your company to demonstrate that proper insurance coverage is in effect.  For example, you might require that employees or volunteers submit a certificate of insurance each year that verifies coverage limits.

2.   Driving records should be checked prior to an employee’s hiring.  Validate driving credentials and check for accidents and moving violations over the past 5 years.  All recruiters, managers and human resource people should be aware of this policy.

3.   Avoid having youthful drivers, those with little driving experience, or drivers with more than one moving violation or accident use their vehicle for business-related purposes.

4.   Periodically check driving records for new offenses and moving violations.  Introduce a procedure for how discovery of new offenses will be handled.

5.   Develop a written policy on business use of personal vehicles and communicate to all employees. Managers, human resource personnel and recruiters should share this information with any potential new hires.

6.   Be sure you remain in compliance with local, state and federal statutes while obtaining private information about your employees. 

Insurance can play a role in helping to protect your business from this exposure. Non-owned auto liability insurance may be obtained on a stand-alone basis or in conjunction with your general liability coverage.  Coverage for hired vehicles may also be available, if needed.

Insurance premiums for non-owned automobile liability depend on the frequency of personal vehicle use and how employees use their vehicles for your business. Premiums for this line of coverage are generally fairly reasonable.

Another way to reduce risk is to eliminate the exposure.  If employees or volunteers are prohibited from using their personal vehicles for business-related purposes, it eliminates the possibility of an accident that will affect your company.

In the meantime, while you are mapping out your risk reduction strategy, maybe you should consider making that bank deposit yourself…

Simple Keys to Understanding Homeowner’s Insurance

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To make sure you have the right type, and right amount of homeowner’s insurance, you need to understand what it does, and doesn’t, cover. Regular homeowner’s insurance will cover damage from tornadoes, fires, and burglary; but it will not cover the calamity of hurricanes, floods, terrorism, or nuclear meltdowns.

Basic Principles

*Make sure to get enough coverage to re-build your home from bottom to top.

*Choose “replacement cost” instead of “actual cash value.”

*Regularly inventory your possessions and their replacement costs. Consider a special rider for valuables such as jewelry, furs, and family heirlooms.

*Understand “loss of use” provisions. These provisions will dictate how long your insurer will pay rent while your home is rebuilt or repaired.

Best Offerings

*Look at on-line quotes and shop around, in general. Do some research to make sure the company is financially sound.

*Consider the possibility of raising your deductible to keep rates low.

*Get discounts by purchasing homeowner’s and auto insurance from the same company.

*Consider an umbrella policy to protect against lawsuits.

*Ask if special discounts are available. Some companies offer discounts to longtime customers, seniors, and non-smokers.

*Monitor and maintain a good credit score

*Unless you plan to file a claim, don’t report damages.

What Isn’t Covered

*Home office equipment

* Damage from neglect and poor maintenance practices

*Losses caused by pests such as insects, rodents, and pets

*Sewer backups and mold

In Case of Disaster

*Get in touch with your insurance company as soon as possible.

*Begin checking for damage and take photos to document calamity. Make quick fixes and temporary repairs to mitigate further damage.

*Be cautious of repairmen charging exorbitant rates and con artists impersonating insurance adjusters.

*Read the fine print before signing anything! Be careful not to sign away future compensation upon receipt of the first check.

*If a settlement offer is clearly unfair, don’t accept it.

Learning a few simple principles in advance can save you a bundle, should disaster strike.  Speak with your insurance agent to gain a better understanding of your homeowner’s insurance needs.