By: Edward L. Blais, JD, CIC
Returning home from a relaxing sun-soaked vacation is never fun, and it can be made worse if you return to find something gone horribly wrong in your home. Below, Blais Insurance offers a few suggestions to help keep your property secure while you travel.
Ask your neighbors for help. Give a trusted neighbor a key and ask them to periodically check the interior of your home to look for anything unusual such as open doors, fallen branches or broken windows.
Don’t let your home look vacant. To make your home less attractive to thieves, we suggest you arrange for someone to gather your mail and newspapers and mow your lawn. We also recommend you mimic everyday activities by setting timed lights to come on in the evening, or by keeping a car parked in the driveway.
Turn off your water supply. Water damage is the leading cause of homeowners’ insurance claims, because even a small leak can cause significant damage if left undetected. When water leaks are combined with warm summer temperatures, they can lead to expensive mold problems. You may want to consider purchasing a water-flow sensor that ties into your home alarm system to detect water flow that is not normal.
Protect appliances and electronics from power surges. Consider unplugging your television, computer, and other countertop appliances. Unplugging these items not only keeps them from being damaged in the event of a power surge, it can also save you money. According to the Consumer Energy Center, many appliances use power even when they’re turned off.
In the unfortunate event that you do experience a loss while away on vacation, it is important to contact your independent agent at Blais Insurance as soon as possible at 401-725-0070. However, simply taking a few precautionary steps before you leave on vacation will keep your home safe and provide peace of mind while you’re away.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Spring Clean to Protect Your Home
By: Edward L. Blais, JD, CIC
This past winter, Rhode Islanders were fortunate to escape harsh weather conditions. However, cold temperatures and even the smallest amount of snow can cause wear and tear to your home. While completing your spring-cleaning, Blais Insurance suggests adding the following tasks to your list. Checking certain items around your home can shield your property from hazards and protect you from potential insurance claims.
This past winter, Rhode Islanders were fortunate to escape harsh weather conditions. However, cold temperatures and even the smallest amount of snow can cause wear and tear to your home. While completing your spring-cleaning, Blais Insurance suggests adding the following tasks to your list. Checking certain items around your home can shield your property from hazards and protect you from potential insurance claims.
When cleaning up the outside of your home,
remember to do the following:
- Check for damage to your roof, and clean gutters and downspouts to keep debris from accumulating. Hire a professional if your roof needs repair.
- Remove dead limbs or branches from your yard. Keep healthy trees and bushes trimmed and away from utility wires and your home.
- Safely store oil and gas for lawn equipment in a vented, locked area, such as an outdoor shed or your garage.
- Repair cracked, broken or uneven driveways and walkways to provide a level walking surface.
While sprucing up the interior of your home,
consider the following:
- Inspect your smoke detectors, and make sure that there is one on each floor of your home. Test them often, and change the batteries as needed.
- Make sure the light bulbs in all your fixtures are the correct wattage as recommended by the manufacturer.
- Replace high-intensity bulbs (such as incandescent) with fluorescent bulbs that do not produce as much heat.
- Check your electrical outlets for potential fire hazards such as frayed wires or loose-fitting plugs. Be sure not to overload electrical outlets or other power sources.
- Keep a fire extinguisher accessible, filled and ready for operation.
- Have your air conditioning system inspected by a professional.
- Check your water heater for leaks or corrosion.
- Clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct and space under the dryer. Remove all lint and dust.
Blais Insurance believes that these spring-cleaning tips
will help you to avoid costly insurance claims. It is also a good idea to
review your current homeowners’ insurance policy to make certain it is still
meeting your needs. If you have questions about your home insurance policy,
please call Blais Insurance at 401-725-0070.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Green Homes Can Save You More Than Energy
By: Edward L. Blais, JD, CIC
Every year on Earth Day, many take to their neighborhood parks or back yards to clean up trash, rake away debris and freshen up mulch. While “going green” for your neighborhood is an excellent way to show your eco-friendliness, applying the same practices to your home can help the environment, and could also save you money on your home insurance.
Every year on Earth Day, many take to their neighborhood parks or back yards to clean up trash, rake away debris and freshen up mulch. While “going green” for your neighborhood is an excellent way to show your eco-friendliness, applying the same practices to your home can help the environment, and could also save you money on your home insurance.
In order for a home to receive insurance discounts
for energy efficiency, it must comply with the standards of either Green Globe
or Leadership in Energy & Environment Design (LEED). Most insurers use LEED
standards to define green certification, and LEED ratings range from certified
to silver, gold and platinum. Homes are rated on energy-efficiency, water
efficiency, indoor air quality, environmentally sensitive site development,
recycled and reclaimed building materials and other sustainable features.
Due to the increasing
number of federal and state incentives available to build green homes, more
insurers have been offering green home insurance coverage options. For example,
Travelers insurance offers up to five percent savings on premiums to homeowners
already certified by the LEED rating system. Additionally, for homeowners
repairing, replacing or rebuilding with green materials after a loss, some
insurance carriers reimburse you for using sustainable materials such as
bamboo, energy-efficient appliances and paints made from zero volatile organic
compound (VOC).
Unfortunately, not all
states offer insurance discounts for green-certified homes, so be sure to check
with your independent insurance agent to see if you qualify for either an
insurance discount, or reimbursement for rebuilding with sustainable materials.
For more information on green-certified insurance discounts or reimbursements,
please contact Blais Insurance at 401-725-0070.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Add a Home Inventory to Your Spring Cleaning
By: Edward L. Blais, JD, CIC
Now is the time of year when people put away winter coats, air out their homes and clean up their yards. With all the spring-cleaning you plan to do, Blais Insurance suggests you conduct an inventory of all the personal property in your home while you clean.
Documenting all of your personal possessions may seem like a daunting task, but adding a few extra minutes to each room as you clean will save you time and unnecessary stress in the future.
The benefits of performing a home inventory far outweigh the tedious task. Maintaining proper records of your items will settle insurance claims faster, lessen your burden of proving your lost property, and relieve stress during estate planning. You will not have to remember all of your lost possessions, or potentially forget items that you could have been compensated for.
A home inventory is free, and multiple ways exist to complete one. You can organize your items by video tapping them as you walk throughout your home. Blais Insurance suggests video tapping your items in coordination with other documentation such as special software or perhaps an Excel spreadsheet. If you have a working knowledge of Excel, you can create a spreadsheet, arranging the information in a way that would make it easy to update. Updating items can be made even easier if you decide to download software from sites such as knowyourstuff.org. Software that helps with home inventories can make the process simple and fun. Lastly, you will want to keep the inventory outside the home!
Remember, it is not so much about having a list of every last thing you own as much as it is about having a place to start in the event of a significant insurance loss. If you would like further information about an inventory for your home, please call Blais Insurance at 401-725-0070, and we would be happy to answer your questions.
Now is the time of year when people put away winter coats, air out their homes and clean up their yards. With all the spring-cleaning you plan to do, Blais Insurance suggests you conduct an inventory of all the personal property in your home while you clean.
Documenting all of your personal possessions may seem like a daunting task, but adding a few extra minutes to each room as you clean will save you time and unnecessary stress in the future.
The benefits of performing a home inventory far outweigh the tedious task. Maintaining proper records of your items will settle insurance claims faster, lessen your burden of proving your lost property, and relieve stress during estate planning. You will not have to remember all of your lost possessions, or potentially forget items that you could have been compensated for.
A home inventory is free, and multiple ways exist to complete one. You can organize your items by video tapping them as you walk throughout your home. Blais Insurance suggests video tapping your items in coordination with other documentation such as special software or perhaps an Excel spreadsheet. If you have a working knowledge of Excel, you can create a spreadsheet, arranging the information in a way that would make it easy to update. Updating items can be made even easier if you decide to download software from sites such as knowyourstuff.org. Software that helps with home inventories can make the process simple and fun. Lastly, you will want to keep the inventory outside the home!
Remember, it is not so much about having a list of every last thing you own as much as it is about having a place to start in the event of a significant insurance loss. If you would like further information about an inventory for your home, please call Blais Insurance at 401-725-0070, and we would be happy to answer your questions.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Every Business Owner Should Investigate Professional Liability Insurance
By: Edward L. Blais, JD, CIC
You may think that Professional Liability Insurance, also known as Errors and Omissions Insurance, is only for doctors and lawyers, but it is important to understand that this coverage is now available to many other businesses.
Your commercial general liability insurance is important to have, but does not cover for errors involving you rendering your expertise. Professional Liability Insurance protects you from client or customer claims involving this special kind of error. These claims can get costly and time-consuming regardless if a long litigation process leads to a settlement or not – and don’t forget the attorney fees.
You should consider looking into whether or not Professional Liability Insurance is available for your small business. It could save your business if it cannot afford the cost of the claim. Some businesses without this protection try to pass their financial burden down to future customers to make up the loss, but many businesses eventually close their doors.
To keep from losing everything you’ve worked for, Blais Insurance suggests you investigate the availability of Professional Liability Insurance for your type of business. Every Professional Liability Insurance policy will differ according to your industry, location or type of product or service you provide.
Call us today to learn more about this important coverage for your business at 401-725-0070.
You may think that Professional Liability Insurance, also known as Errors and Omissions Insurance, is only for doctors and lawyers, but it is important to understand that this coverage is now available to many other businesses.
Your commercial general liability insurance is important to have, but does not cover for errors involving you rendering your expertise. Professional Liability Insurance protects you from client or customer claims involving this special kind of error. These claims can get costly and time-consuming regardless if a long litigation process leads to a settlement or not – and don’t forget the attorney fees.
You should consider looking into whether or not Professional Liability Insurance is available for your small business. It could save your business if it cannot afford the cost of the claim. Some businesses without this protection try to pass their financial burden down to future customers to make up the loss, but many businesses eventually close their doors.
To keep from losing everything you’ve worked for, Blais Insurance suggests you investigate the availability of Professional Liability Insurance for your type of business. Every Professional Liability Insurance policy will differ according to your industry, location or type of product or service you provide.
Call us today to learn more about this important coverage for your business at 401-725-0070.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Insuring Your College Student
If you have children away at college, it may be wise to take a second look at what kind of insurance coverage they have for their car and any expensive items they have at school.
Many parents jump at the opportunity to lower their auto insurance rates by taking their child off their auto insurance while they are away at school without their car. However, this may not be the wisest move. Consider the risk if your child borrows a friend’s car while at school. Blais Insurance suggests you leave your college driver on your insurance policy to avoid uncovered liability claims. If you tell your insurer that you child is away at school and does not have access to their car to drive, then your insurer may reduce your rate because your college driver doesn’t have immediate access to the car and is now a lower risk.
Not only should you consider keeping your college student on your auto insurance, but you should also think about all the expensive items such as phones, iPods, laptops, TVs and cameras that accompany most college students to school. If any one of these items were stolen or damaged, it could be very costly to replace it. You have a couple of options when it comes to insuring your child’s belongings. You should review your homeowner’s policy before your son or daughter goes off to college to be sure it extends to coverage for items in your child’s dorm.
If you are interested in discussing these options for your soon-to-be college student, contact Blais Insurance at 401-725-0070 to learn more.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Don’t Let Your Insurance Lapse When Selling Your Vehicle
By: Edward L. Blais, JD, CIC
Have you ever had a car dealership ask you for a copy of your insurance policy before test-driving a car? We’re guessing not. A dealership wouldn’t ask you for your insurance because they already have that detail covered with their own coverage for their cache of cars. Just like a dealership doesn’t take chances when giving test drivers permission to take their cars for a trial, neither should you when allowing someone to test drive the car you’re trying to sell.
No one buys a used car without test-driving it first, so it is important to keep your insurance on your vehicle during the time you’re trying to sell the car. If an accident occurs, the owner of the car would be primarily responsible.
When you see the increase in your policy from adding a new vehicle don’t fret, once the old vehicle sells, perhaps within a week or two, the premium will go down upon deleting the now sold vehicle. At Blais Insurance, we are always available to answer your insurance questions, and welcome the opportunity to do so. Please call us at 401-725-0070.
Have you ever had a car dealership ask you for a copy of your insurance policy before test-driving a car? We’re guessing not. A dealership wouldn’t ask you for your insurance because they already have that detail covered with their own coverage for their cache of cars. Just like a dealership doesn’t take chances when giving test drivers permission to take their cars for a trial, neither should you when allowing someone to test drive the car you’re trying to sell.
No one buys a used car without test-driving it first, so it is important to keep your insurance on your vehicle during the time you’re trying to sell the car. If an accident occurs, the owner of the car would be primarily responsible.
When you see the increase in your policy from adding a new vehicle don’t fret, once the old vehicle sells, perhaps within a week or two, the premium will go down upon deleting the now sold vehicle. At Blais Insurance, we are always available to answer your insurance questions, and welcome the opportunity to do so. Please call us at 401-725-0070.
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