 Each season has its perils. In summer, it’s the heat. Winter can bring snow, freezing temperatures and icy winds – sometimes severe. But even after a mild winter, we all look forward to Spring’s warmer temperatures and blooming landscape. Of course, Spring brings its own severe weather threats. High winds – even hurricanes or tornadoes – can damage your home, and heavy rains can result in water damage from local or widespread flooding. Storm damage, including perhaps even fire or electrical damage stemming from lightning strikes is a possibility.
You will want to take the threat of lightning very seriously. Many people mistakenly believe it is not dangerous, but according to the Insurance Information Institute (III), that is a wrong assessment.
- Find out more about the danger of lightning to you, your family and your home by viewing “Dispelling Lightning Myths” (video)
- Many homeowners and building owners protect their structures by installing a lightning protection system. Get more information about these systems by viewing “Choosing a Lightning Protection System” (video).
With Spring just around the corner, perhaps it’s time to consider how we as homeowners can protect our property from the weather perils of the season. We suggest the following precautions.
- Get ahead of a Spring storm by insuring that your roof has no loose shingles, gutters and drains are clear of debris and trees have no loose or dead branches that could become projectiles in high wind.
- When a storm has been forecast, see that the swimming pool cover is securely fastened and that all outdoor furniture, accessories and trash cans are moved inside. Be sure to heed the broadcast warnings of the weather service.
- In the wake of a severe Spring storm, be sure to check your property inside and outside as soon as it is safe to do so, and immediately report damages to your insurance agent.
Of course, one of the most important things you can do to prepare as we approach springtime is to review your insurance policies with your agent well in advance of severe weather to assure that you have the best coverage against storm damage for your home. When speaking with your insurance agent, be sure to discuss your coverage for flooding since that protection requires a separate flood insurance policy and is not covered by your homeowners insurance.
Here at the Boizelle Insurance Partnership in Gaithersburg, MD, we are always glad to hear from you and to assist you when you have questions or insurance issues to address. So why not contact us at your convenience?
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 As an employer, you are aware that your workers' injuries and illnesses impact your bottom line and your business' productivity. Of course, you can take steps to mitigate that risk and expense. In fact, implementing a solid Workplace Safety Program in your company could certainly be one of the most powerful changes you can make. With an effective program of this type in place, many employee absences due to work-related illness and injuries can be avoided. It is also possible that you could see a decrease your workers compensation risk and expense as well since a significant element of your workers comp insurance premium is related to frequency of claims.
Of course, you will want to see that your Workplace Safety Program is in compliance the Occupational Safety & Health Act. In fact, OSHA can provide information as well as consultation and/or training if needed. Assuring that your inhouse program guidelines are in line with OSHA is important for many reasons, including the impact it will have on your Workers Compensation insurance policy. Typically, insurance carriers will look at how effective and comprehensive your program to assure workplace safety is when deciding on your insurance coverage.
A company’s safety program should be unique but in general will usually include written safety procedures and guidelines that are made available for employees’ reference. Optimally, your plan would identify a Safety Manager located in-house with the responsibility to carry out the program by providing orientation for new employees, training existing employees, coordinating safety inspections, as well as to impel employees to avoid unsafe practices.
Even the most effective Workplace Safety Program might not prevent all accidents. Therefore, you should see that it includes guidelines for on-site first aid care. A well-designed program will also include a return-to-work protocol to be followed after an employee work absence due to work-related illness or injury.
Here at the Boizelle Insurance Partnership in Gaithersburg, MD, we are available to answer your questions regarding workers compensation coverage and to discuss any other business or personal insurance needs. Please contact us at your convenience for more information.
Already have workers compensation insurance? Why not request a no-obligation policy review to be sure that your rates and premiums are the best for your needs?
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 Once again, it is time to “fall back” – to end daylight savings time and return to standard time. Among the other changes this brings in our lives, we should remember to change our smoke alarm batteries. Adopting the habit of changing smoke alarm batteries either at the end or the beginning of Daylight Savings Time will protect your home from fire and smoke damage and keep your family safe.
We all know the value of a reliable smoke alarm in our home. However, having a smoke alarm isn't enough. A good fire safety plan requires that the smoke alarms actually work. A quick check of your smoke alarms every month assures that they work, and changing the batteries at least once a year will assure that their batteries are fresh and strong.
Why Smoke Alarms Stop Working
Sometimes, smoke alarms simply outlive their usefulness, especially if they are more than 10 years old. More commonly though, smoke alarms don't work because the smoke alarm battery is dead or perhaps the smoke alarm has been disconnected or the batteries have been removed. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) warns that almost two-thirds of home fire deaths in 2005-2009 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
Won’t the Smoke Alarm Remind Me?
Why not just wait until the smoke alarm beeping that alerts you that your smoke alarm batteries need to be replaced? That's a bad idea for many reasons like these…
- When the beeping alert occurs, if you don't have replacement smoke alarm batteries ready, you might be tempted to stop the beeping by removing the batteries or disconnecting your smoke alarm. Of course, this decreases your protection from a fire until you get your smoke alarm working again.
- If you are not at home during time when the beeping alert begins until your smoke alarm batteries go totally dead, you might not be aware that they are not working. This leaves your family and your home unprotected against fire.
Replacing Smoke Alarm Batteries
- Almost all smoke alarms batteries should be replaced each year, including those in hard-wired smoke alarms with battery backup. The only exceptions are hard-wired smoke alarms without a battery backup and smoke alarms that have a 10-year battery that cannot be replaced. In the latter case, you would replace the complete smoke alarm every 10 years.
- Install the correct type of replacement battery as recommended in the manual or label on your smoke alarm, and follow all directions. Avoid using rechargeable batteries in your smoke alarm. Smoke alarm manufacturers advise against them.
- If your smoke alarm is giving you frequent nuisance alarms, then it’s time to replace the entire smoke alarm unit. Don’t be tempted to just disconnect the battery to stop the nuisance alarms.
- Take the opportunity to clean your smoke alarm at the time that you change the batteries each year.
- Remember to change the batteries in your carbon monoxide alarm at the same time that you change your smoke alarm batteries.
 Halloween can be a holiday full of festivities, fun and costumes if you follow a few tips to ensure safety and protect your home from liability. Don’t allow the risk of a homeowners insurance claim to spoil the fun.
Whether you will be hosting a party or welcoming trick-or-treaters, opening your property to the public can leave you vulnerable to insurance claims and lawsuits.
The following 10 Tips will assure Halloween home safety...
- Create a Clear Path – Keep the area around your home clear of obstructions so that visitors don’t stumble and injure themselves. Especially at Halloween, clear away lawn ornaments, gardening equipment, toys, etc. to help avoid a liability.
- Confine Your Pets – For the safety of your pets and your guests, keep dogs and cats away from the front porch or areas where they might jump on or even bit unfamiliar visitors.
- Keep the Lights On – Be sure that trick-or-treaters and other visitors are able to see clearly after dark to avoid falls and other injuries on your property. You will not only help avoid a liability claim, but you’ll deter burglars who are always less inclined to approach a well-lit home.
- Avoid Open Flames – While candles and luminaries set the spooky mood on Halloween, they can easily be overturned and result in homeowners insurance claims for fire damage. Consider light sticks and battery-powered lanterns instead.
- Jack-o-Lantern Safety – Unattended Jack-o-Lanterns lit by candles can easily be tipped over by trick-or-treaters or pets. Avoid fire damage claims by using a battery-powered light in your pumpkin.
- Supervise Pumpkin Carving – Enjoy the fun but assure home safety by having an adult or supervised older child carve the pumpkin this Halloween. Better still, use a special pumpkin cutter for extra safety.
- Think Before You Serve – You are responsible for the safety of guests who will visit your home this Halloween. Offer only commercially-packaged treats to trick-or-treaters. Likewise, be sure to serve non-alcoholic beverages to your older party guests and never serve alcohol to anyone who is under-age. If you are setting the mood at your party by using dry ice in a punchbowl, be sure to keep the chips out since they can cause severe injury if ingested.
- Assure Home Security – If you will be away from home during Halloween, don’t forget to set your security alarm system before you go. This is a prime time of year for mischief and burglaries. So be sure to also activate motion-sensitive lights and alert your neighbors that you will be away.
- Test Your Home Smoke Alarms – While you are testing your home security system, don’t forget to test your smoke alarms well in advance of the Halloween celebrations to minimize the chance of having a claim for fire damage.
- Check Your Homeowners Insurance – Take a moment to speak with your insurance agent to be sure you will be fully protected for whatever plans you have for the Halloween Holiday. The time to find out that your coverage is incomplete is NOT after you have a claim.
 With temperatures near freezing and snow already interrupting our daily routine here in the Northeast, it’s not only unwise but unsafe to be unprepared for weather problems on the road this winter. Be a smart driver -- brush up on these common sense rules for safe winter driving.
- Even if you didn't prepare for winter before this wet, cold or icy weather arrived by performing a complete vehicle check-up, do it now. Your auto tech will tell you that winter conditions present the greatest challenge to your vehicle’s operating efficiency.
- Move your vehicle into the open to let it warm up so that you avoid exhaust build-up in your garage.
- Check your tires frequently for proper inflation. If your vehicle owner’s manual does not specify, then ask your automotive technician about the proper inflation level.
- Make it a practice to keep your fuel tank at least half-full – both to prevent gas-line freeze and to ensure that you won’t likely run out of fuel in an emergency.
- If possible, don’t drive in bad weather; and if you must drive, try to be well rested and wait until snow plows and sand trucks have cleared the roads.
- When driving on wet, snowy or icy roads, avoid using cruise control or overdrive. Both detract from your full control of the vehicle in possible slippery conditions.
- Use your seat belt and make sure that your seat and mirrors are properly adjusted for best visibility. Wear sunglasses to reduce glare.
- Don’t use your parking brake in cold or inclement weather, if at all possible.
- If you experience skidding on slippery roads, always take your foot off the gas pedal and steer in the direction you want to go to recover from the skid.
One more essential: Keep a Winter Driving Kit in your vehicle and stock it with: a bag of sand, salt or kitty litter, ice scraper, paper towels, shovel, snow brush, warning flares, window-washing fluid, a flash light, booster cables, a blanket, gloves and a cellular phone. You’ll have the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’re prepared for an emergency.
The key to safe winter driving is to plan ahead, know your vehicle and adapt to the weather and road conditions.
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