December, 2020 | Boizelle Insurance Partnership
Here’s What You Can Do If You’re Living With Someone Who Has COVID-19
It’s happened. Coronavirus has entered your home. You can’t seem to fathom how this could be possible. You’ve been washing your hands religiously, maintaining social-distancing guidelines, and have wiped down your surfaces over and over again. Still, it happened. Now is not the time to despair. It’s time to take care of your loved one and protect yourself at the same time. You may observe certain symptoms like a dry cough, extreme fatigue, and loss of a sense of smell or taste among others. Just as when anyone becomes ill, even if it’s not necessarily with COVID19, it’s a good idea to keep your distance until they get tested. Here’s what you should do:
Call the doctor or your county’s health department to report their symptoms and to ask if they can get tested. If they are approved for testing, help them get a testing location. There should be multiple locations around your area. Some CVS Pharmacies do offer drive-thru testing. If you choose this method, it may take a few days to get the results back. Costs of testing may vary depending on his or her medical insurance.
If they can’t get tested right away, it’s best to take the necessary precautions and to act as if they do have the virus. In other words, keep your distance as best you can.
If you are living with someone who is ill, give them a specific space or area that the can quarantine themselves in. This will serve to protect both yourself from contracting the illness and them from passing it to you.
If the person is sick, make sure they are always coughing into their mask or cloth, or elbow or a tissue to prevent the spread of any germs or particles into the air.
Washing your hands with hot water and soap is always best, but use alcohol rub if you don’t have access to soap and water.
Wipe down surfaces with soap and disinfectants.
Don’t touch your face or rub your eyes if you haven’t washed your hands.
It’s very important to keep a constant lookout for the sick individual because this virus can take a turn for the worse rather quickly. Offer them both physical and emotional support whenever you can, without getting too close.
There are certain warning signs of danger when it comes to COVID-19 that you should be aware of: trouble breathing, chest pain or pressure that doesn’t go away, confusion or can’t be woken up, or a blue color in their lips or face.
Designate a bedroom for them to stay in. They shouldn’t leave that bedroom except to go to the bathroom. Keep everyone away from them. Also, if you can, open a window to get the air circulating inside.
Designate a sick bathroom for them. If you only have one bathroom, you’re going to need to clean the surfaces inside the bathroom every time they use it.
Follow safety guidelines related to medication to reduce fevers like ibuprofen. Do not exceed the recommended dosage. Keep track of when and how often the sick person is taking the medication.
Make sure plenty of blankets, pillows, books, magazines, TV, or a computer are available for their leisure while they are recovering. Make them as comfortable as possible. Keep a phone charger near their bed, so they can call or text you if they need something.
Bring food to them on a tray and maintain your distance as you give it to them.
Keep their laundry separate from yours. This may sound excessive, but it’s important to remember that germs can pass through clothing as well. You want to take any and all precautions to make sure you don’t get sick, too.
Go through your entire house and clean all surfaces and areas thoroughly.
We understand that these have been trying times for many. All of the recommendations included here are steps you should already be taking to prevent the spread of germs and ailments even if it’s not COVID-19.
For more information about how to care for someone with COVID-19, please visit the CDC’s website.
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What To Do After a Hit-and-Run Accident
The sudden nature of a car accident can leave us alarmed, stressed, and disoriented. Hit-and-Run accidents may be even more startling because you have the guilty party fleeing the scene of an accident. This is against the law and is considered a crime.
If someone hits your vehicle and drives off, follow these steps:
Call the police: Hit-and-Run accidents happen suddenly. Once the shock of having another car collide with yours wears off, do your best to remember details about the accident: the color of the vehicle that hit you, the make and model, and the license plate (if you didn’t catch the whole license plate number, it’s okay. Write down as much as you can remember. Those details will help the police in their investigation)
Find out if there were any witnesses: If you see any witnesses at the scene of the accident, be sure to get their contact information in case either the police or your insurance company needs to reach them for information.
Take photos: If you can, take some photos of the accident scene and the damage to each vehicle.
Be sure to report the hit-and-run within 24 hours: it’s very important to report this within the 24 period because these incidents are considered crimes. Once you report the incident to the police, they may tell you to take your vehicle to a repair shop. It’s also a good idea to get the officer’s name, badge number, and phone number in case either you or your insurance company needs to follow up with additional questions. It’s extremely important to report this incident to the police. Otherwise, it may be deemed an “at-fault” accident by your insurer, thus increasing the cost of your insurance.
Does Car Insurance Cover Hit and Run Accidents?
These types of accidents are only covered by your insurance if you have collision coverage. Collision coverage is optional, but it is highly recommended that you get this coverage. If you choose not to, you may be responsible for paying for the damages to your vehicle.
Do I have to pay my insurance deductible after a hit and run accident?
Any time you file a claim through your insurance company, you are required to pay your deductible. Once you pay that, your insurance will kick in the cover the rest of the cost of your claim.
Will a hit and run accident increase the cost of my insurance?
As long as you report the accident to the police within 24 hours and your insurance company doesn’t deem the accident “at-fault”, your insurance shouldn’t be affected.
In the event of an accident, it’s important to remain calm, so you can gather yourself and focus on the important next steps you need to take. Getting all of the appropriate information from the police and the other parties is extremely important and will make the repair process that much easier.
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How to Lower Your Energy Costs During Winter
Do you ever notice your Pepco bill seems to be a bit higher in the colder months? That’s probably because you’re cranking up the heat in your home. Don’t worry. It’s perfectly normal to see a difference in expenses when comparing fall and winter to spring and summer. Just in case you were wondering about ways to lower your energy bills during the winter, read on…
- Keep your curtains and blinds open during the day and close them at night.Naturally, during winter, temperatures are going to be warmer during the day and colder in the evening. To combat the costs of energy, keeping your curtains and blinds open during the day will allow for any sunlight to enter your home, thus keeping it warmer. Keep them closed at night to keep the heat in and the cool, brisk air out.
- Install a smart programmable thermostatProgrammable thermostats have the built-in ability to learn your schedule over time. When you’re away from home, they can set themselves to energy-saving temperatures. You may be able to set temperatures with different phone apps while you’re away as well.
- Clean your refrigeratorIn this case, less is more. The less items you have stockpiled in your fridge, the less energy it will take to keep those items cool. Additionally, it’s always a good idea to make it a habit of regularly cleaning your fridge to avoid any unpleasant smells creeping about.
- Lower your water heating temperature.For those of you that enjoy the indulgence of long, hot showers, you don’t necessarily have to give that ritual up. In fact, bringing your water heater thermostat down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit can reduce the heat loss from your water heater, resulting in big savings: over 20% in energy costs per year!
- If you own a fireplace, make sure that the wood you choose to burn is not wet. This is because it could result in excess smoke and heat loss. Nobody wants that!
- Set your ceiling fan to rotate clockwise to feel warmer.Ceiling fans don’t only keep rooms cooler. In fact, they can serve to make rooms more comfortable by pushing warm air away from the ceiling and back towards the room. You can also turn the temperature of your thermostat down a few degrees if you want to save even more money on your energy bill.
- Clean your windows
- Similar to closed curtains, dirty windows may clock natural sunlight from entering your home. Plus, you’ll feel better about living in a clean space!
- Remove window air conditioning unitsThe fall and winter seasons don’t provide us with many hot days. Therefore, consider removing your window air conditioning units because they block natural sunlight and heat from entering your home. If this isn’t possible, consider caulking the edges to seal them off. This will prevent any air from creeping through.
- Add insulation to your home.Insulation is extremely important and effective if you’re trying to keep your home warm during the colder months. Do some investigating in your home to discover where the main insulation gaps are before embarking on any lengthy projects.
- User smart power strips for your electronics.
Are you not entertained? We mean when you’re inside your home. You may depend on your electronic devices like laptops and televisions for fun while indoors. It’s important to know that even when a device appears to be off, if it’s still plugged into an electrical outlet, it’s still using energy. Consider investing in a smart power strip which prevents appliances and electronics from using energy when they’re powered off. It’s all about keeping those energy costs down. This can help!
- Not only can using a slow cooker help you create delicious meals for yourself and your family; it can help you save energy!
- Use drying racks to dry your clothes.You’ve just gotten out of the shower. You’re soaking wet and a little chilly. Naturally, it would feel good to grab some freshly dried, warm clothes out of the dryer. But, using a dryer instead of dryer racks to hang dry your clothes costs more. Consider using dryer racks if you want to keep your energy costs lower.
- Layer your clothing to keep warm.
This is a bit of a no-brainer. Putting on more clothes is going to keep you warmer. Let’s move on to the final tip!
- Be mindful of how much energy your using when putting up your holiday decorations.
Connect all of your electronically-powered decorations to smart power strips to cut back on expenses!
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How to Choose a Christmas Tree
It’s that time of year again! The most wonderful time of the year! Everything from what you’re going to prepare as a meal for your family, to what gifts you’re going to exchange, all of the details make up a very busy time! There’s another item on that important list of “To-Do’s”: what kind of Christmas tree are you going to buy this year?
Choosing a Christmas tree can be an overwhelming endeavor because all of the trees may look so similar. Some have better needle retention than others, which may be an important factor when considering which tree you want to buy if you have small children. Apart from worrying about your children picking up needles from the floor, the cleanup process may prove to be longer than you’re willing to tolerate.
Some trees give off a strong fragrance, so if you’re sensitive to certain smells or have certain allergies, be cautious before making your purchase.
A very important factor to consider is the strength of the tree’s branches. If you’re more of a minimalist, you have a lot more options available to you. If you’re the type of person that has accumulated countless ornaments over the years and you like to place every single decoration you can think of on your tree, you may consider a tree with sturdy branches to withstand all of the weight of your ornaments. A tree with soft foliage is probability a more suitable option for family’s with children or pets to prevent injuries from occurring.
You can buy your tree from a local nursery or a farm where you can select and cut your own. Some nurseries already have trees cut, so you may be able to skip that step. Still, it’s important to examine the trees before making your choice. If you see a tree with a lot of needles underneath it, it means the tree is not in good condition and you shouldn’t buy it. Another way to see if you’re buying a healthy tree is by gently guiding your hand from a branch on the tree to its tip. It’s important that the tree not drop any needles when you make this motion because it means it’s strong and durable and will last.
After you take your tree home, make sure you’re always providing it with plenty of water. Negligence in this department may prove dangerous because, as a tree dries out, it can become more prone to catching fire. Always be mindful and keep an eye on your water dish beneath your tree and make sure it’s full.
The most common species of trees in Maryland are the following: Douglas Fir, White Pine, Colorado “Blue” Spruce, Scotch Pine, Norway Spruce, Fraser Fir, Canaan Fir and Concolor Fir. Different species have different establishment costs, management requirements, and marketability.
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