by California Casualty | Auto Insurance Info, Homeowners Insurance Info |
It seems as if almost every household has gotten a hoverboard; they are one of the hottest gifts of the New Year. Hoverboards are similar to skateboards but they have a motor and can move along at speeds around 10 miles per hour. If you were one of the many hundreds-of-thousands who purchased one of the new high-tech gadgets, be aware that they also have a dangerous side.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning that many of the self-balancing scooters have burst into flames due to faulty batteries. People and property have been burned and airlines and many college campuses are now banning them because of the fire risk.
The other hazard is from falls. How is your balance? If it’s not very good, stay off a hoverboard. Scores of users have suffered scrapes, bruises and even broken bones after being tossed off the motorized devices. There are a multitude of videos and news sites highlighting “hoverboard fails.” Some of the injuries have been very serious.
So before you get on a hover board, make sure you have a proper helmet, protective padding and wrist and elbow guards. The CPSC also advises to:
- Avoid buying them at locations like a mall kiosk or website that doesn’t have information about who is selling the product and how they can be contacted if there is a problem
- Be very careful when charging the board – don’t overcharge it, don’t leave it plugged in overnight, always observe it while charging, and keep it away from flammable items
- Let it cool after riding before recharging it
- Leave it in its partially charged state if giving one as a gift – never take it out of the package to bring it to a full charge and rewrap it
- Don’t ride in heavy traffic or pedestrian areas
- See if it has the mark of a certified national testing lab (like UL)
There is another major issue concerning hoverboards – insurance and liability risks. Since they are a motorized device, you may not be covered if you hurt somebody while riding one. If you hit a crack, crash into a person and cause them injury, coverage under your homeowners liability might be excluded. Also, if you loan your hoverboard to someone who subsequently falls and gets injured, you might be on the hook for any hospital or medical bills.
Now, if your hoverboard starts a fire and causes damage to your home or apartment, and you have homeowners or renters insurance, you might be covered for the cost of repairs. Those policies provide protection from accidental fires, but every company and contract is different.
So, the moral of the story is that you should be very careful if you have a hoverboard. You’ll want to read all the safety information that should have come with the device, and be vigilant when charging it. You also need to contact your insurance company to learn about your coverages and how you might be impacted if there were an accident with your hoverboard.
If you don’t have homeowners or renters insurance, now is the time to get it. One of California Casualty’s exceptional advisors is ready to help; call today at 1.800.800.9410 or visit www.calcas.com for a policy comparison or review.
Resources for this article:
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/colleges-students-leave-hoverboards-home-36136212
https://www.cpsc.gov/en/About-CPSC/Chairman/Kaye-Biography/Chairman-Kayes-Statements/Statements/Statement-from-the-US-CPSC-Chairman-Elliot-F-Kaye-on-the-safety-of-hoverboards/
https://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/hoverboard-rip#.jeP4Wpd8Dy
https://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/nrtllist.html
by California Casualty | Auto Insurance Info, Homeowners Insurance Info |
What can we expect in the New Year? There will be a new president of the United States, many are predicting another see-saw year for the stock market and Forbes predicts the Olympic Games in Brazil will turn out to be the most poorly run in history.
What can you expect when it comes to insurance? Here are the thoughts of one prognosticator:
- Millennials will have a bigger impact – now in their mid-30s, this has become the generation replacing the aging baby boomers with influence and dollars. Insurance companies will have to continue to adapt to serving them online and offer more services accessible from mobile devices.
- Bigger rewards for consumers who adapt to the Internet of Things (Io T) – whether it be devices that monitor how you drive or emerging technologies for the home, insurance companies will continue to use data from intelligent devices to predict losses and reward those who install them. They include water or leak detection systems, interactive door locks, and appliances that can communicate and be controlled via a smart phone or other mobile device.
- Renters insurance will spike – with the increasing trend of more millennials opting to rent than buy homes, the renters insurance market will continue to boom.
- More peer-to-peer insurance – there will be more specialized insurance dedicated to targeted groups of policyholders. The concept is a return to the earliest forms of insurance that pooled together like-minded groups like farmers. Peer-to-peer insurance provides quality protection at reasonable rates.
As we face a New Year with excitement and uncertainty, it’s good to know there is a company you can depend on for your auto and home insurance needs. California Casualty is a 100 year old company founded as, and continues to be, a policyholder owned company that serves specialty groups: law enforcement, firefighters, educators and nurses with exclusive benefits not available to the general public. They have partnered with us because of our competitive rates and insurance that reflects their members’ professional lifestyles. This means:
- Deductibles waived or reduced for vandalism or accidents that occur where your vehicle is parked at work
- Personal property damaged or lost in a collision, fire or taken from your car is covered up to $500
- Rates guaranteed for a full year (not six months)
- Free identity theft protection with each policy
- Multiple payment options including EZ Pay and holiday or summer skips
Are you using all of your professional benefits? Now is the time for a policy review to see if you could be saving money or getting better coverage for your auto or home. Call one of our award winning advisors today at 1.800.800.9410 or visit www.calcas.com.
Resources for this article:
https://beta.propertycasualty360.com/2015/12/29/technology-and-insurance-predictions-for-2016
by California Casualty | Auto Insurance Info, Homeowners Insurance Info |
As we drop the confetti and toast the New Year, an annual tradition is to make a resolution. What will yours be? Here are the top five resolutions Americans have made in recent years:
- Lose weight
- Get organized
- Spend less and save more
- Enjoy life
- Become more fit and healthy
Unfortunately, research shows less than 10 percent of those of us who make resolutions actually keep them.
But, there are easy actions you can take that could save you money and provide peace of mind.
Every year, many Americans fail to take stock of their biggest assets: their homes and vehicles. Here is a list of 11 simple resolutions you can make this New Year to protect the most valuable possessions you have worked so hard to attain.
7 Home Insurance Resolutions:
- Do a yearly policy review with an insurance advisor to check that you are getting all the discounts you qualify for, that you adequately insure any new additions or appliances, and verify that your liability coverage isn’t lacking
- Make sure you have replacement value if a fire or other disaster strikes
- Purchase earthquake or flood insurance if you live in areas prone to either
- Save on your premiums by investing in security and fire suppression systems
- Get renters insurance if you don’t have it yet
- Protect high-dollar items such as jewelry, fine art or musical instruments with scheduled personal property insurance
- Complete a comprehensive inventory of everything in your home in case you should ever have a claim
4 Auto Insurance Resolutions:
- Get a yearly policy review to check deductibles, coverages and to make sure you are getting all the discounts you qualify for (professional, multi-policy, good student, mature driver)
- Make certain you have adequate protection from uninsured or under-insured drivers
- Add any new drivers to your policy (teens or a new spouse)
- Bundle your auto and home insurance to receive deeper discounts
We Are Here To Help
Start the New Year off right; resolve to call today to make sure you are getting the professional discounts you deserve: $500 coverage for items destroyed or stolen from your vehicle, deductible waived or reduced if your vehicle is vandalized or hit while parked where you work, and special coverages for the equipment used for your job.
California Casualty advisors are ready to help you with any questions, do a policy comparison or review, or make any insurance changes you may need at 1.800.800.9410, or go online at www.calcas.com.
Resources for this article:
https://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2014/08/12/337407.htm
https://www.knowyourstuff.org/iii/login.html
by California Casualty | Health |
I admit it; I am a dog-person.
Our dog gives us such great joy. She’s loving, goofy and brings smiles and laughs to our entire family. We enjoy long runs and hikes, and play ball for hours.
I understand that not everyone is a dog or cat lover; they shed, are often needy, and keeping them healthy and well fed can be costly. Then there’s the hassle of finding them a place if you have travel plans.
But those of us with a pet-friend know how much they enrich our lives. Now, many experts say there is proof that life with a pet may actually provide multiple health benefits. Here are five healthy reasons why you might want to get a pet this New Year:
- Reduced allergies – more and more studies suggest that infants and children that grow up in a house with furred animals have a reduced risk of allergies and asthma later in life
- Lower blood pressure – numerous studies find merely being around a pet can lower your blood pressure, with the greatest drop coming when you pet them
- Better heart health – dog owners have a lower risk of heart disease and those suffering from heart disease had better recoveries and survived longer if they had a pet
- Increased companionship – pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression, Alzheimer patients were calmer when pets were present and many elderly people reported a better quality of life because of their pets
- Decreased weight – those of us with pets tend to go to dog parks, take regular walks, hikes or runs with their dog, and were less likely to be overweight
There are other ways pets are adding to the well-being of their owners: therapy and companion dogs can warn people about food ingredients they might be allergic to, others are being trained to detect cancers, and some can warn diabetes patients when they are suffering from low blood sugar.
While we can show our pets how much we appreciate them with treats and special toys, now you can return the favor of good health to that beloved companion with pet insurance. With a policy from our partner at Pets Best, you’ll be reimbursed for many common procedures and illnesses such as X-rays, lab tests, exams, surgeries, cancer and more – all at a five percent discount. Call a California Casualty advisor today for all the details to protect your pet-friends at 1.877.652.2638 or visit www.calcas.com/pet-insurance.
Sources for this article:
https://www.animalplanet.com/pets/benefits-of-pets/
https://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/features/health-benefits-of-pets
https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(03)02679-4/abstract
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3236382
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/a-dog-could-be-your-hearts-best-friend-201305226291
by California Casualty | Peace Officers |
As my family drives to friends or relatives homes for the holidays, we invariably pass a police officer busy working to keep the community safe. It’s easy to forget that crime doesn’t take a holiday, and for many law enforcement officers Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years are a regular work day. While most of us will be enjoying presents, meals and special time with our families, officers will be patrolling the streets responding to emergencies and keeping drunk drivers off the roads.
Some of them find ways to make the holidays better for others by sponsoring toy and gift drives for children, giving “tickets” for safe driving redeemable for movies and other treats (police officers in one Michigan town stopped drivers and learned what gift they really wanted while other officers drove to stores and actually bought the presents and surprised them), and others have performed heartwarming acts like buying hot meals or clothing for homeless people in the cold or providing holiday gifts for families who couldn’t afford them.
So this holiday season, let’s not forget the men and women who swear an oath to protect and serve us, even on holidays. Here are some simple ways we can let them know we appreciate all they do:
- Bring some baked goods to a police station
- Deliver some thank you cards
- Pay for their coffee or meal
- Write a letter to your local newspaper thanking them for their dedication to the community
- Make a donation to an organization that assists injured officers or a police memorial fund
- Volunteer with your local law enforcement community outreach programs
- Share a story on the Thank a Police officer Facebook page
Sources for this article:
https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/11/29/picture-of-nypd-officer-giving-barefoot-man-boots-goes-viral/
https://www.today.com/news/surprise-video-shows-cops-stopping-drivers-give-them-holiday-gifts-1D80349124
https://blog.baudville.com/10-ways-to-thank-a-police-officer-during-national-police-week
https://www.facebook.com/Thank-a-Police-officer-95266281978/
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters and nurses. Get a quote at 1.800.800.9410 or www.calcas.com.
