Home Safety Tips

Posted on June 22, 2019April 28, 2022 by Shield Insurance Agency

Home Safety Tips

I follow the blog of a family friend who is a real estate agent and he recently had some great tips on keeping your home safe – safer than you think it might already be. I thought this was too great of a list not to share.

A home is a place you should feel safe and secure. Sometimes, we take it for granted, and unfortunately, we do need to remain vigilant about things we do that could compromise our safety. Here are a few tips to consider:

Everyone loves an inviting home including burglars. Make sure it looks occupied and is difficult to break in. Always lock outside doors and windows even if you’re only gone for a brief time. Lock gates and fences. Leave lights on when you leave; consider timers to automatically control the lights. Keep your garage door closed even when you’re home; don’t tempt thieves with what you have in your garage. Suspend your mail and newspaper delivery when you’re out of town or get a neighbor to pick it up for you. Posting that you’re out of town or away from home on social networks is like advertising your home is unprotected. Equally dangerous could be allowing certain social network sites to track your location. Don’t leave keys under doormats, in flowerpots, or the plastic rocks; thieves know about those hiding places and even more than you can think. Trim the shrubs from around your home; don’t give criminals a place to hide. Use exterior motion detectors and yard lighting. Have an alarm system and use it when you leave home and go to bed. Put 3 ½” deck screws in door plates and door hinges. Have good deadbolts on all exterior doors. Exterior doors should be solid core.

submitted by Tammy

Captive vs Independent Agents

Posted on June 22, 2019August 31, 2023 by Shield Insurance Agency

Shield Insurance Blog | Captive vs Independent Agents |

Written by Shield Insurance Agency on Apr 11, 2018

Captive vs Independent Agents

Hello Friends, Family, Clients, Potential Clients.

I am writing this Blog Entry today, because my Dad, Andy, the owner of the Agency, is asking me to. We believe that a website with Blog entries every so often will get more views than one that has none. We are always looking for ways to get our Business more Business, and if a Blog is one, then we will have a Blog!

I was struggling very hard on what to write about for this blog, as I am not exactly a person who just writes for fun by any means. I thought that I would tackle the thought process of buying from an Independent Agency, versus Buying from a Captive Agency. Not a lot of people know the difference, and not a lot of people even know there IS a difference.

First, let me explain the Difference between Independent Agency and a Captive Agency. A Captive Agency is an agency that can only sell one single Insurance Company Product. For example; State Farm, Farm Bureau, Farmers. These type of Captive Agents sell their Customers that specific companies Products, and then after the Policy renews, they renew with that Specific company. Year after year the customer stays with that specific company no matter what happens to the Price or coverage because that Captive Agency only sells that company. Captive Agencies have the Majority of Personal lines, customers, in the United States, but I personally think that is because of the Marketing these captive Agencies do.

An Independent Agency sells many company’s products to their customers. Shield Insurance is an Independent Agency, we sell 8 different Home and Auto Companies to our Customers. Here is the List; Wolverine Mutual Insurance, Fremont Insurance, State Auto Insurance, Foremost Specialty Insurance, Progressive Insurance, AAA Insurance, Safe-co Insurance, Grange Insurance. When an Independent Agency Writes a policy for a client, they quote all of their companies to figure out which one is going to give that client the lowest price, with the best coverage, and that is who they put the client with. After 6 months when the Policy Renews, the agent will evaluate the Price, and if there is any sort of Increase, the agent will check all of the Other companies they Represent, and see if any of them have a cheaper price, and if they do, they will present that to their Client, and save them money on the renewal. (Some agencies don’t check, but we do!).

This is the Process of a Captive Agency, Versus an Independent Agency. The Independent Agent Shops for you, Year after Year. The Captive agent, keeps you as a Client Year after year, while your Policies are stuck with one Company. Obviously, I am a bit bias being an Independent Agent, but just think about the Thought process, would someone want to go somewhere they can only receive the same quote, or would they want to go somewhere that shops for them, and find the best price for them. I have yet to find More Benefits to being with a Captive Agency, versus an Independent Agency, but if anyone knows any, feel free to email me about it! Thanks for reading my Blog Entry today Folks, Hope everyone has a wonderful day.

submitted by TJ

Latest Blog Posts

“Fall” Into The Season and Fix Up The House

Posted on June 22, 2019August 14, 2023 by Shield Insurance Agency

Shield Insurance Blog | Fix Up The House | Home Insurance

Here are a few things that we should be thinking about, with the snow right around the corner, to help you fix up the house.

Gutters: If they are filled with leaves and debris, the backed-up water will begin seeping into your home if it has nowhere to go. It’s recommended that we always clean them out every fall and spring.

Tree Limbs: Make sure that all tree limbs are trimmed higher and away from the home or power lines, when they get covered with snow they will become very heavy and will break and could cause damages.

Windows: Clean, store, and replace the screens with storm windows, this will make a huge difference when it comes to your heating bill for the season.

Ceiling Fans: Hot air rises, so if your ceiling fans are able to have their rotation reversed, be sure to do so to help bring that warmer air back down toward you. It could help you save money on heating costs by not wasting the hot air at the ceiling.

Smoke & CO2 detectors: Be sure to change out your batteries, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Heater Filter: Change out your heater filter, this should be done every 90 days without pets and every 60 days with pets.

Outdoor furniture: Clean it and store it away so it doesn’t get wrecked from the winter elements.

Faucets & Hoses: Drain all garden hoses and disconnect the outside spigots. Shut off all exterior faucets. Store everything in a dry place.

Also, remember any liquids that you may have that are in your shed or garage may freeze, be sure to find a home for them in a cool dry place that isn’t in the frigid temperatures.

I know that these are only a few of the tasks that we have to do before winter, to fix up the house, but I hope this helps get you started on the right foot.

I hope you have

Have a wonderful Autumn season.

Dawn