November 2015 – Avant-Garde Insurance Advisors

Thanksgiving Day Safety

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. Probably thanks in no small part to the fact that turkey is one my favorite foods. Needless to say I will be getting my fill in the coming days.

However, the Thanksgiving Holiday has one of the highest counts of home fires than any other day of the year. Statistics show that home cooking fires are 3 times more likely to happen on Thanksgiving than any other day.

Below are some quick tips to reduce your chances of a home cooking fire this Thanksgiving…

Never leave your food unattended while cooking.
Use a timer and routinely check whatever you’re cooking.
If frying or deep-frying, keep the fryer outside, away from walls, and free from moisture.
Never use a glass casserole or lid on the stove or burner, as it may explode from the heat.
Ensure that pot holders and food wrappers are a safe distance— at least 3 feet—from warmed surfaces.
Position pot handles to the back of the stove to avoid anyone bumping into them.
Avoid dangling accessories or loose clothes while cooking.
The stove will be hot, keep children 3 feet from the stove at all times.
Be sure electric cords from electric knives, coffer makers, plate warmers, and mixers are not dangling off the counter in reach of children.
Never douse a grease fire with water, as the fire can thus spread. Turn off the burner, smother the flames with a lid, or douse with baking soda or a fire extinguisher if it’s getting out of hand.
Keep a fire extinguisher handy in the kitchen, and know how to use it.
Ensure your smoke alarms are connected and working.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving Holiday!

Gobble! Gobble!

Pamela

LLCs, Trusts, and Estates

Recently, I had a client call me regarding the purchase of a new property.

I went through the typical questions I would ask…

What’s the address?

Do you have a settlement date?

Is it a business or personal property?

How do you plan to use the property?

Who will reside at the property?

Who will own it?

It is not uncommon to get all green lights until you get to the last question. Business entities are a tricky business in the personal insurance arena. They are not impossible just tricky.

Insurance companies get a little crazy when you start talking business entities owning personal properties. A business has a different kind of exposure or risk and therefore has different insurance needs. Personal insurance policies are not designed to meet those needs and ultimately a business entity could put an insurance company in quite a pickle if a claim happens.

An LLC can sometimes be done if the LLC is formed solely for the purpose of holding a single residential property. The LLC should not conduct any other business and should not employ anyone. There may be tax benefits to an LLC but you need to weigh the tax benefits against the issues that arise when it comes to insuring the property in the name of an LLC.

Trusts can also be done but every insurance company is different. Some will name the trust as Named Insured, some as Additional Insured, some require a special endorsement for naming the trust. Only your insurance company will be able to tell you how the trust can be named.

Estates are tricky in that typically the estate was developed to hold assets for a person that has passed away. An insurance company would shy away from this type of situation because it is unknown who will live in the home, who will take care of the home, will the home be vacant, is it for sale, how long will the estate exist? The answers to these questions have an additional amount of risk associated with it and the insurance company may not want to take on that risk.

Regardless of what your plans are, you should always consult with your insurance agent on what your plans are before committing to them. You may not be able to get the coverage you thought you could or need.

Pamela

Winter Is Coming

Yes, I am a fan of Game of Thrones. It is something my husband and I were able to binge watch in the evenings over the summer and are looking forward to watching when it airs next year.

With winter quickly approaching it is time to batten down the hatches for the looming cold temperatures and wintery precipitation.

Here is a quick list of things to check off as you prepare for winter…

Clean out gutters of any debris for proper drainage and to reduce the chance of an ice damn.
Disconnect and drain all outside hoses. If possible, shut off outside water valves.
Repair roof damage and remove tree branches that could become weighted down with ice or snow and fall on your house or your neighbor’s house.
Wrap water pipes in your basement or crawlspaces with insulation sleeves to reduce the chance of freezing.
Clean your furnace and replace the filter to reduce the chance of fire.
Have your chimney and/or flue inspected to make sure no animals are nesting there.
Test or install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace the batteries twice a year.
If your house will be unattended during cold periods, consider draining the water system.

Whether you live in a single family home, condo, or apartment be prepared for the freezing temperatures and the mounds of snow and ice to come.

By following the simple steps above you can reduce your chance of filing a home insurance claim and have a cozy winter season.

You can find more information about preparing for winter by visiting…

http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/

http://www.ready.gov/winter-weather

http://www.weather.com/safety/winter

Pamela

After an Auto Accident

Auto accidents are never fun, regardless if minor or major.

My client’s can get pretty rattled at the time of an accident.

Below are some quick and easy steps after an auto accident.

Stop immediately, but don’t obstruct traffic. Set up accident flares or warning signs if you have them.
Make sure to turn off your vehicle, to guard against fire.
Determine if anyone is injured and assist if necessary.
Call the police to file an auto accident report.
Secure the driver’s license number, make, model and other important information of other vehicles.
Take photos of driver’s license, registration, and vehicles involved, including license plates.
Secure the names and addresses of witness or other parties.
Observe your surroundings to determine direction, lanes of travel, traffic, weather conditions, to provide to your claim adjustor.
Do not accept fault of accident or attempt to make settlement at the scene.
Notify your insurance agent after the scene has be cleaned up and you are safely home.
Always, always, keep clam, don’t argue, accuse anyone or admit guilt.

If you have any questions or concerns before or after an accident consult with your insurance agent.

Insurance agents have been involved in the claim process in a variety of situations and can provide you guidance on what to expect and best practices.

Safe driving!

Pamela