Insurance: Protecting Your Future without a Crystal Ball

Sewer backups can be an extremely unpleasant and costly situation for a homeowner to endure. In addition to the inconvenience and expense, a sewer backup can lead to disease, damage to your home, destruction of your personal belongings, and serious electrical malfunctions. The following tips may help you prevent sewage problems in your home.

• Dispose of Grease Properly: Cooking oil should be transferred into a heat-resistant container and allowed to cool before disposing of it properly. Washing grease down the drain with hot water does not prevent it from solidifying later as it cools. This solid grease could build up over time and cause blockages in plumbing and sewer systems.
  
  
• Dispose of Paper Products Appropriately: Paper towels, disposable or cloth diapers, and feminine products do not deteriorate quickly, as bathroom tissue does. These can cause serious problems in a property owner’s sewer lateral and the city main.
  
  
• Replace Your Line with Plastic Pipes: Plastic pipes can prevent tree roots from entering your sewer line. Cut trees periodically if they are a continual problem in your sewer lateral.
  
  
• Install a Backwater Prevention Valve: A properly installed fixture added to a sewer line allows sewage to flow out, but not back in, preventing sewer backflows. The installation and maintenance costs of these valves are the responsibility of the property owner.
  
  
• Avoid or Replace Illegal Plumbing Connections: It is illegal to connect French drains, sump pumps, and other flood control systems to your sanitary sewer; furthermore, silt and debris from these systems can clog your sewer line. A licensed plumber can correct any illegal connections.

In addition to these prevention methods, consider your insurance coverage. Most homeowners insurance will not cover damages that result from sewer backup; however, many insurers offer sewer backup coverage as an endorsement to your policy. If you’re concerned about the damages sewage may be able to cause to your home, give us a call today.

Identity Theft and Your Teen

Identity theft is a growing crime that costs victims time and money to correct damage caused. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC, 2008) reports that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. While this number continues to rise, ID thieves on the lookout for new prey have turned to the next generation—teenagers. Teens are growing targets for fraud, especially since teens typically have little or no credit history. If personal information, such as a Social Security number, is obtained by an ID thief, it can easily be used to establish a new credit card in his or her name or commit other crimes.

If your teen suddenly receives credit card pre-approvals or a collection agency contacts you, he or she might have been a victim of identity theft. For more information on how to protect your teen, or if you or your teen have been a victim of this crime, contact the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov.

Weathering the Storm: How Good Is Your Homeowners Policy?

No matter where you live, severe weather, in one of its many forms, is always a threat. Whether from a hurricane, tornado, flood, or blizzard, weather-related occurrences may leave behind a trail of widespread damage. Sometimes, weather-related damage to a house and property is minor; at other times it may be catastrophic. Let’s take a closer look at what natural perils your homeowners policy may cover.

• Wind, Lightning, and Hail. Damage to your home and property caused by winds associated with thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes; lightning; or hail is generally covered. You might wonder, “What happens if one of my trees falls down and damages my neighbor’s house?” In some cases, your homeowners policy may pay to remove the debris and repair any damages the falling tree caused, just as it may pay if your mailman were to fall on your icy walkway and become injured. Your policy generally will pay (within specified limits) for losses to your own property, as well as those for which you might be held liable.
  
  
• Snow. If part of your roof collapses under the weight of snow, sleet, or ice, your homeowners policy will generally pay for any necessary repairs. In most cases, you may also be covered for living expenses, should you have to vacate your home and temporarily live in a hotel or rental apartment.
  
  Generally, some weather-related risks or other natural disasters are excluded from coverage. You need to look for these potential hazards under “policy exclusions.” Some typical exclusions include the following:
  
  
• Earthquake, Flood, and Sewer Backup. Most homeowners policies do not cover damages caused by earthquake, flood, or sewer backup; however, you may be able to add earthquake or sewer backup coverage to your policy by special endorsement. On the other hand, if you need flood insurance, you may have to buy a separate policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
  
  
• Landslides, Mudslides, Tidal Waves, and Ocean Storms. Landslides, mudslides, tidal waves, and wave damage in coastal areas are excluded from most homeowners policies. Like earthquakes, these hazards generally affect individuals in only certain geographic areas. Give us a call to see if separate coverage for one or more of these risks is available where you live.

Ultimately, it is important to remember that not every policy is the same, and coverage may vary from state to state. Contact one of our qualified insurance professionals for more information about your coverage.

Protect Possessions in Your Vehicle

Do you ever leave your car unlocked when you run into the grocery store or make another quick stop? Many people do, which can make it easy for thieves to steal car stereos, CDs, portable CD players, expensive sunglasses, and other personal belongings from a vehicle in a matter of seconds. When this happens, some auto insurance policyholders are surprised to learn that auto insurance policies typically cover only factory-installed items, or equipment that came with the vehicle when it left the plant.

Fortunately, many of the possessions you carry in your car should be covered under your homeowners or renters insurance policy. However, it is a good idea to check with us. We want to help ensure that you are completely covered in the event of such theft.

Even with the proper insurance protection, it is always important to take every possible precaution to deter a thief from entering your vehicle and stealing the valuables inside, such as locking all doors and installing a car alarm system.

We hope you never experience a break-in, but if you do, we are here to help. Contact one of our qualified insurance professionals today to make sure you have complete coverage for your vehicle and its contents.

For Your Information?

Conservation Information

The Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture helps America’s private land owners and managers conserve their soil, water, and other raw materials. They also work with homeowners, businesses, and local governments to prevent soil erosion, keep water clean and plentiful, create and preserve green spaces, and reduce the impacts of floods. Visit www.nrcs.usda.gov for tips on conserving and protecting the natural resources in your community.

Guide to Voting

With the 2008 Presidential election fast approaching, the nation’s chief state election officials have developed a website to connect citizens with the information they need to complete the voting process. At http://canivote.org, you can check to see if you are registered, locate your polling place, learn what ID is required to vote in your state, determine your election date, and learn about the candidates. Instructions on applying to be a poll worker are also available.

Child Care Resources

Child Care Aware is a program of the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) that is committed to helping parents find the best information on locating quality child care in their communities. Their website, www.childcareaware.org, seeks to raise visibility for local child care and referral agencies nationwide and to connect parents with the local agencies best equipped to serve their needs.