Clean Your Gutters Before You Clear Your Savings

By: Edward L. Blais, JD, CIC

Dirty and clogged gutters pose a serious risk of potential damage to your home. The winter evil to be avoided from clogged gutters is that they could contribute to the dreaded ice dams. For this reason, Blais Insurance recommends that you clean your gutters at least a few times a year. Considering that spring is just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get to work. Regular cleaning and inspection of your gutters could mean the difference between paying just a few dollars in repairs to paying thousands.

Before you begin, here are some supplies that you will need:

• Ladder
• Gloves
• Bucket or Trash Bag
• Garden Hose/Nozzle 
• Safety Goggles
• Small Brush or Trowel 

Once you have your supplies, here are some steps that you can take to properly clean out your gutters:

1. For your own personal safety, use a ladder while cleaning the upper portion of your gutters. Do not attempt to clean your gutters from the roof. 
2. The first gutter you should clean is the one closest to the downspout. Clean out all of the debris (sticks, leaves, twigs, etc.) and place it into a bucket for future disposal. 
3. If you cannot reach everything, use a hose to flush out the gutters. If it proves somewhat difficult, use a small brush/trowel along with a steady water flow.
4. Repair any leaks in your gutters. Use sealant if you have it or consult a professional if you have fiberglass or aluminum gutters.

In the event of any damage as a result of gutter leakage, it is important to have the right coverage. Blais Insurance has a variety of home insurance plans to match your specific needs. To make sure you are properly covered, call us today at 401-725-0070 or visit us at www.blaisinsurance.com.

How to Keep Your Home Safe and Warm This Winter

By: Edward L. Blais, JD, CIC

Winter weather provides several potential hazards for homeowners. During the winter months, it is important to keep your home properly heated. To minimize the risk of heating hazards, Blais Insurance would like to provide the following safety tips. Whether you use a fireplace, a portable space heater, or a whole heating system, it is important to be safe when heating your home.

Here are some precautions to take if you use a fireplace to heat your home:

• Have your chimney inspected and properly cleaned. Excess buildup can damage your chimney if a fire is lit without being properly cleaned. 
• Have a chimney cap installed to prevent precipitation from falling down your chimney. This will also reduce downdrafts. 
• Only burn dry, cured wood. Remember to slowly build your fire from the ground up. 
• Never put flammable liquids or trash/debris into your fireplace. These materials can cause intense flames and potentially toxic smoke. 
• Use a fireplace screen when the fire is not being tended to. This will prevent embers and ashes from entering the room. 

If you use a space or portable heating system, remember to keep the following in mind:

• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Place your heating system at least three feet away from anything that could catch fire. 
• Do not use heaters as a means to dry clothing because it could catch fire. 
• Test your smoke alarms monthly. 

In case of fire damage to your home, it is important to have coverage. Our homeowners’ policies protect you in all the basic areas but allow for room to add on specific coverages, tailoring the policy to your needs. Visit us at www.blaisinsurance.com for more information.





*Information for this article provided by the National Fire Protection Association

How to Properly Choose and Display Your Christmas Tree

By: Edward L. Blais, JD, CIC

For many households, a Christmas tree is as much a tradition as a family gathering. Knowing how to safely decorate a tree is just as important as choosing one. To keep your home safe this holiday season, Blais Insurance recommends the following precautions:

• Choose a Fresh Tree
• Check the tree for any visible brown needles and see if the branches can hold steadily. If they snap easily, the tree is too brittle and unsafe to hang décor off of.
• Choose a Sturdy Stand
• Before placing your tree into a stand, cut 1-2 inches off the bottom of the tree. Make sure your stand can hold a gallon of water prior to placing the tree. Check the stand frequently to make sure it is full.
•  Be Aware of Fire Safety
• Even if your tree is artificial, it is still susceptible to fire. Before purchasing an artificial tree, check to make sure it is certified as flame-retardant. Make sure your smoke alarms are in working order and that your tree is at least three feet away from heat sources.
• Real trees have extreme potential for fire danger. See how quickly your home can become susceptible to damage if your tree catches: http://ow.ly/Vrlo3 

Once your tree is up and you prepare to decorate, here are some tips to keep in mind while hanging lights and ornaments:

• Use A Safe Amount of Lights
• When it comes to Christmas lights, quality should always be more important than quantity. Check to make sure no bulbs or power cords are damaged. Do not use more than three strands of mini-lights or more than 50 bulbs for screw-in light sets.

• Do Not Overload a Power Circuit
• Attach a maximum of three strings to an electrical circuit to reduce the risk of a power surge

• Do Not Leave Loose Wires Unattended
• Place any hanging wires or strings along the wall to prevent a tripping hazard. Do not place any wires under rugs or carpets.

• Turn Off Lights When Not in Use

From all of us at Blais Insurance, we wish you and your family a safe and fulfilling holiday season!

For more information on how to prevent Christmas tree and other winter fires, visit www.usfa.fema.gove/winter. 

Information for this article provided by: 10 Christmas Tree Safety Tips (Huffingtonpost.com)

Safe Travels This Thanksgiving Holiday

By: Edward L. Blais, JD, CIC

If you and your family are traveling to visit loved ones, it is important to be aware of others who may be doing the same. An estimated 42 million people will be traveling this Thanksgiving season. No matter your destination or travel route, Blais Insurance would like to provide you with these travel safety precautions:

• Pay close attention to weather conditions prior to departure. Try to avoid driving in conditions such as dense fog and freezing rain. If travel is necessary, keep a disaster supply kit in your vehicle.
• Be sure to check that your vehicle is in good working order. Your tires should be properly inflated and both your gas and wiper fluid tanks should be filled.
• Make sure everyone is wearing a seat belt. In 2013, 883 people were killed in auto accidents resulting from failure to wear a seatbelt. Of those fatalities, nearly half could have been prevented through proper seatbelt use.
• If driving for an extended length, make frequent stops and switch drivers periodically to allow adequate rest time.

Although they are much more expedient methods of transportation, planes and trains can also present safety concerns. Given that Thanksgiving occurs during flu season, please keep in mind the following tips to ensure safe travels:

• If someone in your family has been sick the week before, consider postponing your trip.
• Although symptoms may disappear, you remain contagious for about a week.
• Handle your own belongings as much as possible. Wash your hands frequently if you come into contact with others.
• Carry hand sanitizer and/or disinfectant wipes with you
• Bring your own blankets and pillows

On behalf of all of us at Blais Insurance, we wish you and your family a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Information for this article provided by: The American Red Cross

Are My Golf Clubs Covered Under My Homeowners Policy?

By: Edward L. Blais, JD, CIC

In recent years, annual golf equipment thefts have exceeded beyond two hundred million dollars annually. Fortunately for most, reimbursement for theft or damage to golf clubs is covered under their homeowner’s insurance policy – but is the coverage you have enough to replace them?  Your clubs, as well as all other very mobile personal property items of significant value, are highly susceptible to theft. 

But with your golf clubs - perhaps more so than other items, owing to their nature and use and further complicated by the fact that we tend to keep them in the trunk of our car - the chances are very good that they won’t be stolen from your home.  If your car is stolen and your clubs were in the trunk, your clubs were just stolen too. Or if your car is involved in an accident, chances are good that the clubs were damaged too.  You need make sure that the coverage you have for your clubs is the coverage you need for them – prior to the loss.  At loss time, when you need it, it is too late to get any more of it.

Once you have the proper coverage in place, and to better avoid losses involving your golf clubs, here are some often overlooked easy tips you may want to follow:

• Immediately after finishing, count your clubs and place them into the trunk of your car. If you have left a club on the course, your chances of recovering it are much better the sooner you identify and report it missing to course personnel.
• Park in a locked garage or monitored area.  Even better is to remove your clubs from your trunk once you arrive at your home or wherever you are staying.
• When traveling, attach your name and address to both your travel cover and golf bag

When you purchase new clubs, be sure to keep the receipts or purchase records to expedite the process of filing a claim. Blais Insurance is happy to discuss the details of your homeowner’s insurance policy to see if you are properly covered. Call us today at 401-725-0070 to learn more.

Information for this article provided by: Am I Covered?, Are Your Golf Clubs Covered if They are Stolen From Your Car?, and Avoiding Golf Club Thefts

Insuring Your College Student While They’re Away

By: Edward L. Blais, JD, CIC

As you prepare to send your child off to college, it’s important to ensure their valuables are protected. Blais Insurance offers additional coverage that can be added on to your existing policy and varies depending on where your child will be living and the type of coverage you are looking for.  

If your child will be living in a dorm or college-owned building, their possessions should be automatically covered from theft, loss and damage through your basic homeowner’s policy, subject to the applicable limits and coverages selected by the homeowner. Coverage is generally limited to 10% of the policy’s coverage limit for contents, and deductibles may apply. If your policy covers contents up to $100,000, your child’s college possessions coverage would be $10,000, less the policy deductible. It may be wise to consider lowering your deductible if you’re planning to protect your child’s possessions while at school.  

Homeowner’s policies may not cover specialty items like fine jewelry and artwork without additional protection: the general rule of thumb being that special things require special coverage.  Moreover, there is a coverage limitation that may apply in the instance where your son is away from the insured location for a period longer than 30 days.  Lastly, special considerations may be necessary for a child studying abroad.

If your child will be renting an apartment off-college property, their possessions are no longer covered under your homeowner’s policy. Even if their legal address is still your home, their apartment will most likely be viewed as their residence. However, they do have the option of taking out a renter’s insurance policy for as little as $15 to $30 a month. Renters insurance comes in two basic forms: replacement-value policies and cash-value policies. Replacement-value policies generally cost more, and both types may have coverage limits requiring extra protection for some items. Renters insurance works the same as homeowner’s insurance, but without the dwelling coverages that are unnecessary for a building they do not own.

Your child should create an inventory of possessions in case a claim is filed. It is also important for your inventory at home to have a section of items that are with your child at college.

Make sure to read your policy carefully before deciding which coverage is best for you and your child. Eligibility, coverage limits and deductibles should all be taken into consideration. If you have any questions about your current policy or would like to add additional coverage, be sure to call Blais Insurance at 725.0070.

Information for this article provided by: How to Insure Your College Student and Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Your Students Belongings?

Why You Need an Umbrella Insurance Policy

By: Edward L. Blais, JD, CIC

You’ve just purchased a new home and you’ve gone through all the motions to buy a homeowners insurance policy.  Maybe one day a guest slips on your property and sues you.  Your homeowner’s policy may not provide enough coverage to protect you, and you may end up being responsible for their medical expenses, as well as other legal damages and fees.

This scenario is more common than you think, and many times the homeowner finds out the hard way that their standard homeowner’s policy just doesn’t provide enough coverage.  Personal umbrella insurance policies are designed to help in such events. 

Umbrella insurance is a form of liability insurance that provides additional coverage above the limits of your basic policies. It can protect you from bodily injury liability claims, as well as property damage liability claims. Umbrella policies also provide a broader form of coverage and can help cover legal fees, even if you are not found at-fault. The best thing is that a personal umbrella policy is more affordable than you might think.

When determining how much more additional coverage you need, you should consider these three factors:

1. Potential loss of income – Should you be found responsible in the event of a lawsuit, purchasing a larger policy limit will protect both your current assets and future income.
2. The value of your assets – This includes property, retirement funds, possessions, art, and other important belongings.
3.  All possible risks you may face – This may include owning a pool, acting as a landlord, and anything else you may be found liable for if something were to go wrong.

Life can throw many unexpected curveballs, but we’re here to help. The funny thing about liability insurance is that the minute you need it, it's too late to buy more of it; so be sure to call Blais Insurance at 401-725-0070 to discuss adding an umbrella insurance policy today.

Information for this article provided by TrustedChoice.com