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Comprehensive Coverage In Case A Fish Smashes Your Windshield – Shield Insurance Agency Blog

Comprehensive Coverage: In case a fish smashes your windshield…

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Comprehensive Coverage | Shield Insurance Agency Blog |

FISH SMASHES WINDSHIELD; WILL INSURANCE COVER IT?

Sometimes the blog posts just write themselves.

ABC News in North Carolina reports that a driver in the state looked up and saw a bird carrying a huge fish.

“It was one of those slow-motion moments in life. I saw the fish and I saw him drop it,” said Rhesa Walston of Beaufort, North Carolina.

The catfish smashed straight into her windshield.

It happened so quickly she didn’t have time to react.

“There was glass all over my front seat…glass on my lap,” Walston told ABC News.

After making sure her daughter in the back seat was safe, Walston contacted her family and her insurance company. Family members tracked down the fish (apparently, catfish dropped from high altitudes bounce) and took pictures to corroborate her catch.

Walston told ABC News she will have to pay the $250 deductible on her comprehensive auto policy — not a huge price for a story the family will be telling for years to come.  Animal damage is covered if you have optional comprehensive coverage. If you only have collision coverage, then you’re not covered.

The eagle could not be reached for comment…

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Car Seat Safety For Snow – Shield Insurance Agency Blog

Car Seat Safety for Snow

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Car Seat Safety For Snow

Apparently, I fell off the face of the planet when it comes to car seat safety. Despite reading all the NHTSA tips for car seats, doing the safety checks, and experiencing Michigan winters my whole life, I have never, ever heard of winter car seat safety. If have a bundled-up little one, this is a must-read and must-share on your Facebook page to educate other parents.

The rule to remember: No bulky coats on children in car seats.

First, let me divulge a few of the (brutally honest) thoughts that came to mind when I heard this:

  1. This article must be written by a person from a mild weather state. There’s no way in zero degree weather I’d let my kids go without a coat!
  2. But I wear a coat with my seatbelt and I’m fine…
  3. So I’m supposed to get my kids out of the car and bundle them up in the…parking lot?? This sounds like such a hassle to me.

A child may be buckled in tightly with their winter coat on, but in an accident, the impact of pressure would compact the bulk of the coat making the harness too loose to keep the child safe.

While I quickly thought of every reason why this was a bad idea, I landed on the one reason why this was a good idea: safety always comes first. The fact is, a child may be buckled in tightly with their winter coat on, but in an accident, the impact of pressure would compact the bulk of the coat making the harness too loose to keep the child safe. So, I called my local fire department and got these important tips that are pretty simple and much more do-able than I imagined.

Here’s a simple way to test the bulk of your child’s coat:

  1. Put the coat on your child and buckle them up, tightening the straps until you can’t pinch the harness with your fingers.
  2. Undo the straps without loosening them and remove your child from the seat.
  3. Take your child’s coat off, put them back in the seat and fasten the harness.
  4. If you can pinch the straps, then the coat is too bulky to wear in the car seat.

The winter coat rule applies to children in car seats and for children in boosters if the seat belt system in the car does not automatically lock when the brakes are applied.

Keep them warm, and safe.

If you find your child’s coat is too bulky to buckle them in safely, here are some alternate options to keep your child warm:

  • Put their coat on backward, like a blanket.
  • Use an actual blanket.
  • Use a thinner coat for car rides. Or if your child has layers in their coat, use the thinner layer for car rides and add the other layer when you go outdoors.
  • Heat your car up ahead of time and let them ride comfortably without a coat.

For all the other snow-state mommies and daddies like me who didn’t know this…now you do! So, test the bulk of your child’s coat and keep them safe in their car seat this winter. Foremost encourages all parents to be safe while driving, especially with a child passenger.

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Don’t Hit The Deer In The Headlights – Shield Insurance Agency Blog

Don’t Hit the Deer in the Headlights

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Deer in the Headlights

Just picture it — you’re driving on a winding road blasting some music, enjoying your time with family and friends, when something pops out in front of you. Do you brake? Do you try to swerve around the thing? Animals seem to have other things on their mind near the roads, and can often jump out at us while we drive, which can cause major safety issues. These moments need a quick response but it can be challenging to think through what to do and then do it on the fly. That’s why we’re providing some guidelines to help prevent a collision between your car and an animal during this season!

  • Fasten your seatbelt. While this will not help you avoid hitting an animal, it is the best way to help ensure safety for you and the passengers in your car. Buckle up during every auto trip!
  • Pay attention to animal-crossing signs. These yellow, diamond-shaped signs on the side of the road with an animal picture on them (deer, moose, bear) warn you about areas where the pictured animal is known to cross the road.
  • Use your high beams whenever possible (as long as there is not oncoming traffic) during this time of the year. The extra light does a great job of revealing your surroundings, and is especially good at lighting up animal eyes along the side of the road, where deer and other wildlife are most likely to congregate.
  • Honk your horn in short bursts (for deer)If you are in an environment with a high likelihood for deer crossings, honk your horn in short spurts throughout the drive to scare away any deer that may have been near the road. However, honking your horn too much may confuse the deer and lead them closer to the road, so make sure you are rationing out those honks throughout the trip.
  • Be especially alert at dawn and dusk. Animals are most likely to be roaming at dawn and dusk, so stay especially alert during these times to avoid collision.

If a Deer in the Headlights appears on the road…

  • Never swerve! Don’t do it. The instinctual action of swerving can actually cause more harm than good because you may swerve into the other lane with oncoming traffic, a tree, a fence, or road sign, which can increase your chance of injury.
  • Drive towards where the animal came from. Roaming wildlife are most likely to either stand where they are discovered in fear or will run onward in the continual direction from whence they came. If you feel you can safely maneuver your car, your best option to miss the animal is to drive towards the direction where the animal came from (this will not work for deer).
  • Brake firmly. Unless there is a car directly behind you, brake firmly and safely slow your vehicle. If there is a car close by, slow down, but make sure to honk your horn to signal to the other driver that there is a problem ahead. By the way, Mythbusters busted the myth that speeding up will decrease your chances of injury — so don’t do that!
  • Lean towards a door pillar. In the event of an unavoidable crash, leaning towards a door pillar will give an extra layer of protection between you and the approaching impact. In most instances of a severe collision between man and animal, the center of the car is crushed, so lean towards the door pillar to benefit from the added protection of the pillar.

Under every circumstance, you should also always make sure you are driving at a safe speed — those speed limits are more than a suggestion! Following the posted speed for a specific stretch of road gives you the benefit of being under control regardless of twists and turns and unexpected visitors!

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Thanksgiving Fires, Turkey Fryers And Safety – Shield Insurance Agency Blog

Thanksgiving Fires, Turkey Fryers and Safety

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Thanksgiving Fires, Turkey Fryers and Safety

I am feverishly preparing for what I consider to be a rite of passage: I’m hosting Thanksgiving for the first time. While I love to cook and host my family from time to time, there’s something extra intimidating about preparing the quintessential meal of the year. How do I manage to prepare a turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and vegetables at the same time? In one oven? Without a Thanksgiving Fire!? At this point, I have a spreadsheet listing what I need to do on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and the baking times and temperatures broken down in chronological order. (Thank goodness my mom is bringing the pumpkin pie.)

While I was researching ways to prevent the turkey from drying out, I stumbled upon this fact. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), Thanksgiving is the peak day for cooking-related home fires. Add another thing to worry about to the list.

It’s pretty clear to see why 69% of all home fires on Thanksgiving are cooking fires. People are stressed and busy, which can lead to carelessness and inattention in the kitchen. Let me join the chorus and reiterate the NFPA’s tips regarding cooking safety:

  • Make sure your stovetop is clear of anything that could catch fire, like oven mitts, towels, hot pads, wooden utensils and food packaging.
  • If you are frying, grilling, or broiling, stay in the kitchen. If you have to leave the kitchen, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.
  • If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling, check on your food regularly and remain in your home. Use a timer help remind you that you are cooking.
  • Only cook when you are alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove.

Then there’s the use of turkey fryers, which the NFPA actually discourages. So does Underwriters Laboratory (UL), which will not certify any turkey fryers with their UL Mark. This video explains why UL finds those appliances dangerous.

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Preventing Wildfires – Shield Insurance Agency Blog

Preventing Wildfires

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Preventing Wildfires and Staying Safe from the Risk

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, 63,546 human-caused wildfires burned nearly 5 million acres in 2017. To put this into perspective, consider the size of New York City. At 92,781 acres, New York City could have burned 54 times over with that amount of acreage!

That’s 5 million acres that didn’t have to burn if the ‘you’ part of the wildfire equation had followed proper burning protocol.

Warm weather increases the wildfire threat to many parts of the country. That warmth and dryness entice many people to clean up their yards and burn the debris. If not properly controlled, these fires will grow to become uncontrollable. Fortunately, most human-caused fires are preventable when proper precautions are taken. Here are just a few things you can do to avoid starting a wildfire:

Staying Safe from the Risk

  • Follow the law. The community you live in may have burning regulations, like requiring permits, restrictions on the times and places for open burning, and restrictions on the items that can be burned. Check with your local officials before burning anything.
  • Watch the weather. Don’t attempt to burn on windy days or during periods of drought. Check with your local fire official to make sure the weather conditions are safe for burning.
  • Choose the right site. The burn site should be surrounded by gravel or dirt for at least ten feet in all directions and kept wet to prevent the fire from spreading.
  • Never leave a fire unattended. Sparks could blow into leaves or grass and spread quickly.
  • Keep water nearby. Keep a garden hose or bucket of water close to help control the fire in an emergency.
  • Extinguish the fire properly. Use water to extinguish the fire completely by dousing the site and stirring until everything is drowned and not emitting any heat whatsoever. Any remaining coals should also be scooped up with a shovel and dunked into cold water. When you are done, everything in the fire pit should be cold to the touch.
  • Consider alternatives to burning. Yard waste can be made into mulch or composted, while newspapers and many other items can be recycled.

Every year, many families lose their homes and possessions to wildfires caused by humans. Don’t be a part of the statistics. Show your commitment to wildfire prevention, because your safety is number one to us!

To help educate your children on preventing wildfires, check out Smokey the Bear, he’s a pretty smart fellow.

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In case of emergency How to prepare your phone - Shield Insurance Agency Blog

In case of emergency: How to prepare your phone

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Shield Insurance Blog | prepare your phone | Start a Quote Today!

Today, our phones are rarely outside of our reach. This makes them one of the best tools we have for quickly responding to an emergency situation and increasing the chances of a more positive outcome.

How prepared is your phone to handle an emergency?

In most emergency situations, you would be the one to contact someone for help. So, it’s important to take a few minutes to research and save important emergency contact numbers on your phone so you can make the call immediately and get help faster.

Here are the main emergency phone numbers to save on your phone:

  • Your emergency contact, such as a parent, spouse or close friend
  • Police, 911 in the United States for emergencies
  • Poison Control Center
  • State Highway Patrol
  • Your nearest police and fire department (for non-emergencies)

You should also consider saving these important numbers in your phone to help you in an emergency:

  • Your doctor, pediatrician and/or veterinarian
  • Your pharmacy
  • Home health aides
  • Your insurance company
  • Your roadside assistance provider
  • Your employer
  • Your child’s school or caregiver
  • A nearby relative or friend
  • An out-of-town relative or friend

There are also some emergency situations, like a bad fall or car accident, where you might not be able to communicate with first responders. For this reason, it’s important to take these two steps:

  1. Add an emergency contact in your phone, such as a parent, spouse or close friend who can come to your aid.
  2. If your phone locks, set up a lock screen message to communicate helpful information to first responders, like your emergency contact, blood type, allergies and medications.

Depending on the type of phone you’re using, there are different ways to add a lock screen message.

iPhone users can use the Health app on their phones to add their basic personal information, important medical details, and emergency contact numbers within the Medical ID tab and make them accessible from their lock screen. Just make sure you select “Show When Locked” and test it out after you’ve finished setting it up.

Android users can set up their lock screen message by going into their Settings, Users & Accounts, and then Emergency Information. Enter your medical information and emergency contact. Then test it out by locking your phone, swiping up, and tapping “Emergency” to find the information you entered.

Additionally, Android lets you put any message you want on your locked screen. To do this, open your Settings, go to Security & Location, and next to the Screen Lock tab hit Settings. Then, tap Lock Screen Message. Here, you can enter your primary emergency contact or important medication information so that it always displays on your locked phone screen.

Because it’s difficult to predict when or where an emergency will happen, it is a smart idea to update your phone now so that you’re prepared to handle any situation that comes your way in the future. Be safe out there!

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Is Your Motorcycle Coverage a Perfect Fit

Is Your Motorcycle Coverage a Perfect Fit?

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Shield Insurance Blog | Motorcycle Coverage | Contact Shield

Not all bikes are the same. Motorcycle Coverage isn’t all the same, either.

Picking good motorcycle insurance is more than just choosing between comp and collision or liability-only. Here are four questions to ask yourself about coverages and options before you switch to a new policy or renew your current one.

1) What is your health insurance Motorcycle Coverage like?

An odd question? Not really, given the big changes we’ve all experienced in the last few years with health care. If you have a high-deductible policy, and need an x-ray or go to urgent care, you’ll likely pay out-of-pocket.

Medical payments coverage (often called “Med Pay”) might be worth considering. The typical $500 limit should be enough to cover smaller medical bills and it does not cost much to bump up to a higher limit.

While you’re at it, you might want to consider uninsured and under-insured motorist (UM/UIM) protection, too. That covers larger medical costs as well as repairs or bike replacement — if you’re left with the bill from an at-fault driver without sufficient insurance.

2) Are you into long road trips?

Whether it’s that bucket-list ride to Sturgis, or just a long-weekend cruise, you’ll want to consider:

  • Rental coverage – If you can’t ride your bike due to physical damage, your trip isn’t over. This endorsement covers the cost of a rental to finish the trip or get you home.
  • Travel loss reimbursement – This could coverour room, dinner, and a ride-share after an accident.
  • Towing and emergency assistance – Coverage for the reimbursement of some of these costs, too.
  • Trailer coverage – Separate coverage can be added for damage to your bike trailer.

3) Does your wingman have a fuzzy face?

No, we don’t mean your uncle Earl. Coverage for injury to your dog or cat is a newer option you can add.

4) Do you ride year-round?

In much of the country, riding is a seasonal sport. It’s tempting to save a few bucks by canceling your policy when you put your bike under wraps for the winter. But it can still be stolen, vandalized, or damaged. Consider year-round coverage for your bike.

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What to Know About Buying a Vacant Home - Shield Insurance Agency Blog

What to Know About Buying a Vacant Home

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Why buy a vacant home? One of the biggest perks is being able to make the home whatever you want it to be. You can make it your new home, create a vacation home, rent it out, or fix it up and sell it to someone else. In some cases, the seller may be willing to sell a vacant home cheaper than an occupied home. This is good news for you because you can save some money, but it could also mean something might be wrong with the house. It may need a little love, attention, and renovation. Before you purchase a vacant home, here are a few things to do and watch out for:

Professional Inspection

Ask for an inspection from a professional and take notes on what they discover. You’ll want to know what’s broken, what needs to be fixed, and what could possibly go wrong. (Note: Be prepared to pay for the home’s electricity to be on for the duration of the inspection).

Critters

Since vacant homes can sit for quite some time, critters may come in and make themselves at home. Although they are usually small animals such as mice or bats, they can cause damage to a vacant house. Those unwanted critters can eat at the floors, carpets, walls, and wiring. Be aware that you may need to hire a pest control service, and this could be costly based on the number of animals and the amount of damage.

Plumbing

There may be plumbing issues that have caused dried and cracked seals, slow faucets, leaks, and other issues. If the heat hasn’t been on and the temperatures dropped, the pipes could be at risk to freeze or burst (if they haven’t already).

Appliances

The previous owner may not have unplugged their indoor appliances, such as refrigerators and freezers, or let them dry out. There may be mold inside from the moisture being trapped. Having appliances plugged in with no one there could result in a fire (if the electricity was on). Appliances in the house may become unusable due to long periods of sitting with no use, which means you will need new ones.

Molds

Remember, molds can grow on more than just appliances! Check for mold in the walls, floors, pipes…everywhere! Some molds may cause health issues, so if mold is found during your inspection, you may want to rethink purchasing the home. Talk with your inspector about the extremity and presence of mold, and evaluate the safety risks.

Unanticipated Repairs

There are other potential sources of damage. For example, break-ins are more likely when a home appears empty, and windows, doors, and other items could be damaged by the intruder. Storms are another danger. Debris could hit the home and cause damage that may have gone undetected. Always thoroughly inspect the home before buying!

There are a lot of things to do and watch out for before purchasing a vacant home, but the possibilities of what the home could be are endless. If you are looking to buy a vacant home but haven’t found one yet, there are a few ways to move forward. Look online, talk to neighbors, get a realtor or simply drive around. There are more vacant homes than you think…happy hunting!

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18 years past 9/11 Memorial - Shield Insurance Agency Blog

18 years past the 9/11 Memorial

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Shield Insurance Blog | 9/11 Memorial |

I was watching the TV, on 9/11, as my young children were in the driveway waiting for the school bus. I peeled myself away when I heard the bus driver honk the horn to give me a wave goodbye.

The TV images were numbing. We remember them, they are unforgettable.

Days later as the rubble from the buildings settled, and the immediate chaos cleared, people started to do more, be more, give more, go to church more. For a while, it changed many areas of our everyday life.

Weeks later our neighborhood held a block party. I set a jar out to collect funds to do something in a neighborhood affected by 9/11, from a neighborhood to a neighbor. I was thinking maybe a bench or a birdbath. The money and support poured in, not only from our neighbors, but local companies, communities, the city of Flower Mound, and beyond.

9/11 Memorial

We ended up with almost $10,000 in cash, 12 square feet of granite, and the etching donated. Even Federal Express stepped up to ship a stunning 12-foot square laser etched memorial. Designed by two teenage boys from our neighborhood, it was placed in a New Providence New Jersey Neighborhood that lost 6 people that fateful day.

It was a project of good love and support, from our neighborhood, our community, the city, area businesses, and it had the same effect on the people of New Providence whom I am still very close friends today.

I wish there was a way to commemorate this event for the vast goodness it brought out in the people. I wish the anniversary wasn’t so difficult on all the families that lost loved ones, and the thousands of people that were in the path of responding…. It was a very painful time for too many people. Some years I don’t want to mention the Memorial our town made happen.

But I always go back and remember all the good that people gave and the goodness that we, as a nation, need to keep showing over and above all the other bad in the world. It always boils down to the simplicity of Good vs Bad. I choose to rejoice in the Good.

Connie Simmons-Miller

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Do You Know Your Flood Risk - Shield Insurance Agency Blog

Do You Know Your Flood Risk?

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Are you in a flood risk zone?

According to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), everyone lives in a flood risk zone. Even those who don’t live near water are at risk because anywhere it rains, it can flood. Heavy rains, clogged or insufficient drainage systems, nearby construction projects, broken water mains, and inadequate levees and dams can cause flooding that puts your home and belongings at risk.

Your home is one of your greatest investments. It’s important to prepare ahead should a disaster occur. Here are three simple steps to help make sure you’re ready in the event of a flood risk.

  • Create a “flood file” and keep it in an accessible waterproof and fireproof container. It should contain a personal property inventory of your home, a copy of your insurance information, copies of any critical personal documents (e.g. social security cards, titles and deeds), and a CD backup of computer documents and digital photos.
  • Prepare your home by making sure your sump pump works and has a battery backup, your gutters and downspouts are clear, your electronics and appliances are elevated, and any valuables and keepsakes are moved to a higher level.
  • Develop an emergency plan that includes evacuation routes from home, work and school. Make sure that plan includes an out-of-town contact list that all family members can call in case you get separated. Also, create an emergency kit with extra drinking water, non-perishable food, first-aid materials, blankets, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight, and extra batteries that can be grabbed easily if you need to evacuate.

It’s important to know that most home policies don’t cover flooding and just a few inches of water damage can cost thousands. To find out if you live in an area that is at risk for flooding, type in your address in the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and use this interactive tool to learn more.

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