There’s nothing like a real-life claim to make a point and when the claim is unusual, it makes for good reading. One of Bollinger’s homeowner clients recently called to report fire damage to his home. It seems that an 8′ high cabinet in his kitchen caught fire and caused around $12,000 damage. Bet you’re wondering, how did soda put out the fire?
Category: General Insurance Tips, Personal Insurance
The other day I made a sudden stop in traffic and immediately looked in my rear view mirror to make sure the car behind me was paying attention. As the driver slammed on his brakes, his passenger kept moving forward and fell to the car floor. As we sat in traffic I was relieved to see the driver reach over and pet his dog as it climbed back onto the seat.
Here’s the thing. We love our dogs but rarely think about their safety when they jump into our cars. Next time you’re out and about, check out the number of cars you see with dogs going along for the ride. Just how safe are they? There are all kinds of laws about using child safety seats for your kids. So why don’t we take better care of our car-ride-luvin’ dogs?
Please read “Buckle up Bowzer” . Your dog will thank you.
Category: General Insurance Tips
You know how much I love insurance – especially when it comes to reading all the fine print in policies. Bet you didn’t know that some of the fine print can be summed up into 4 words – don’t forget your umbrella! And I’m not talking about the weather. Read Full Article
Category: Personal Insurance
Right now we’re being inundated with holiday safety tips. You know stuff like – be sure your live tree isn’t dead; if your lights have frayed wires don’t use them; don’t eat Aunt Gertrude’s fruitcake. I hate to say it, but isn’t this stuff common sense? Do I light all the candles in my home and then go out shopping? I don’t think so. Common sense or not, some people just don’t get it because each year, holiday season fires in the USA claim the lives of more than 400 people, injure 2,600 more and cause more than $900 million in damage.
Let’s try to keep our homes and families safe this holiday season (and throughout the year) by following some steps offered by the United States Fire Administration. Read Full Article
Category: General Insurance Tips
Take care to protect your teeth during the holiday season.
It is a festive time of year. It’s a time for indulgences like cake and candy. I even saw cakes on the food channel with candy inside of the cake. It is creative and fun to look at, but it seems like a disaster in waiting for some unsuspecting guest. So as you go for seconds at the buffet, keep in mind that your teeth may need some extra attention and care to combat potential hazards of sweets on your choppers. You do not want an emergency room dental visit on Christmas Eve of New Year’s Day!
Category: General Insurance Tips, Student Insurance
December is here and you know what that means – “Our Biggest Sales Event of the Year!” only to be upstaged three days later by “Our Biggest Sales Event of Year!” Last week I snatched up some perfect gifts at great prices and considered myself quite the bargain babe. Came down to earth 3 days later when the newest sales circular had the exact same sales.
Another absolute truth about the holiday season is an increase in accidents involving drinking and driving. I ran across an article yesterday, published by our trade association – The Professional Insurance Agents of NJ (PIANJ). I was surprised to learn that every day, 32 people in our country die in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $51 billion.
If you’re playing Holiday Host this year, here are some steps you can take to ensure safety: Read Full Article
Category: General Insurance Tips
Did you know that there’s a bill working its way through Congress that could increase the number of calls you get on your cell phone? It’s called the “Mobile Informational Call Act of 2011” and if passed, will allow those dreaded robocalls, to dial your cell phone. You can read all about it in a recent article in the New York Times.
Although I mentioned Congress, this is not a political blog. It’s about safe driving. You might think I’m stretching the point by linking robocalls to driver safety. That’s your call (no pun intended). I know from experience that just glancing at my cell when a call is coming in, takes my mind off of driving. More robocalls. More distractions. The preaching stops here.
Let the driver safety part begin. Read Full Article
Category: General Insurance Tips
O.K. so I’ll admit it. My favorite thing to do on Halloween? Go out for a quiet dinner! If there’s such a thing as a Halloween Humbug, I’m it. Doorbells ringing, the dog barking, grabby little hands snatching candy – not my idea of a fun time. Looking around my neighborhood at all of the over-the-top Halloween decorations, I think I can safely say that I’m in the minority. So for those of you who really dig Halloween, go for it, but beware - hidden dangers are lurking in the dark. Read up on what you can do to keep your home and those darling little trick-or-treaters safe. Read Full Article
Category: General Insurance Tips
After the wet summer we had, topped off with all the rain from Hurricane Irene, the dehumidifier in my basement has been running nonstop. I think it’s sucked enough moisture out of the basement to fill a swimming pool! Now that the days are getting cooler and the furnace is running, the basement should dry out nicely, and I’m glad to report, so far, so good as far as any mold goes. I ran across some info today that describes active mold as “fuzzy, velvety, or slimy, and is orange, green, black, brown, pink or purple in color.” Sounds like a description of a punk rock group! No way do I want to see it hanging out in my basement.
You probably haven’t thought much about fuzzy, velvety or slimy stuff in your basement but ignorance is no excuse when it comes to mold prevention. Here’s the information I ran across (including the “fuzzy stuff” part). It explains what mold is, what causes it, and steps you can take to prevent and eliminate it. Read up mold busters! Read Full Article
Category: General Insurance Tips
Bet you didn’t know that this Saturday is “National Seat Check Saturday”. Well I certainly didn’t until I ran across an interesting blog post about the importance of child passenger safety. Believe it or not, the post wasn’t written by a safety official or someone in government. It was written by a Technology Geek! You know what I always say – “Geeks Rule”!
Here’s what Steve Anderson (SteveAnderson.com) blogged about:
Category: General Insurance Tips
