Summertime is in full swing! However, along with summer heat is the threat of summer burglary. Nobody wants to return home to find someone has burglarized their hard-earned possessions.
Unfortunately, the U.S. Department of Justice warns that break-ins heat up during the summer months. Most of those are crimes of opportunity from criminals looking for an easy target like open windows or garage doors.
Trim back bushes or hedges that block visibility and give a thief areas to hide
Install outdoor lighting
Put indoor lights on timers
Have a security system installed
Get a dog
Keep garage doors closed
Always lock doors and windows
Keep watch of your neighbors’ homes and ask they do the same for you
Have a trusted friend, neighbor or relative make trips to your home or park a car in the driveway to make it look lived in while you are away
Don’t Advertise to Criminals
Stop mail and newspaper deliveries if you are going away
Arrange for any home deliveries to your neighbors when you are not home
Don’t leave garbage cans out while you are away
Never leave notes on doors telling someone you are out and when you will return
Leave a radio or TV on while you are away
Conceal valuables and don’t them visible from the outside
Break down and conceal boxes for expensive items and electronics when putting out the trash (boxes for the new 60” HD TV or the latest computer are like shopping flyers for thieves)
Don’t advertise on social media that you are going away to grandma’s house or a wonderful vacation (this goes for your children)
Protect Yourself
Make a complete home inventory of your possessions to assist if you need to file a police report, speed up an insurance claim and help with a tax-loss write off
Be sure to have an identity theft protection and recovery service if burglars get access to your personal or banking information
Protect your possessions with homeowners or renters insurance
Not only do you feel violated after someone breaks into your home, but it can be expensive to fix the damage and replace items. That’s why you need homeowners and renters insurance. We can’t stop all criminals, but California Casualty is here to protect you with quality auto and home insurance with exclusive benefits not available to the general public. Every policy also comes with free ID theft protection. Call an adviser today for a policy comparison or review at 1.800.800.9410, or visit www.calcas.com.
For more information visit:
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This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Wildfires seem to be burning faster and more intense than ever. The past few years have seen the largest and most destructive conflagrations in US history. Wildfire preparation tips are more important than ever.
Too many people have come back to find melted remnants of prized personal possessions; homes in ashes.
Here are five key wildfire preparation tips for your community or neighborhood:
Create a home inventory. 60% of homeowners and renters have still not documented the things they own, which can cause post-fire/disaster headaches.
Know where fire extinguishers are kept and teach everyone how to use them. Make them easily accessible in the event an of emergency.
Have a family escape plan. Practice how you would exit your home from different rooms in the event of a fire and set a safe meeting point, away from the property, if you were to get separated.
Prepare an emergency kit with important documents. Include copies of banking information, insurance policies, home mortgage and deeds, etc.
Review and understand your insurance policy. Whether you are renting or owning, know what it pays and does not pay for. Get extra protection for collectibles and high-dollar possessions with a scheduled personal property endorsement.
While these are great wildfire preparation tips, there are several other things to keep in mind in you are effected :
Contact your insurance company as soon as possible
Secure the property from further damage
Contact creditors, banks and appropriate agencies about credit cards, tax returns, Social Security cards or other papers that may have been scattered in the disaster
Check your credit report to make sure nobody is using your personal information
Be very wary of fly-by-night work crews and contractor fraud
Download and print your copy of these Wildfire Preparation Tips here.
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.
From pulling weeds to cleaning floors, it seems like house work never ends, but it’s a lot easier to tackle before the change of seasons. The warmth of summer is a good time to do maintenance that will prevent damage, prepare your home for winter, and add long-lasting value.
Do an energy audit and start fixing insulation and cracks
Insulate hot water pipes
Clean patio furniture
Scrub your concrete
Inspect and reseal decks
Patch concrete and asphalt cracks
Prune or remove problem trees and shrubs
Clean exhaust fans
Fix the fence
Make your landscaping “critter proof” (deer, rabbits and other animals can cause thousands of dollars of damage to your plants and trees)
Doing regular maintenance can not only protect your home, but it can enhance the value of your largest investment. Most realtors and home repair experts say simple projects can add thousands of dollars to your home’s worth. Here are some tips that give the best payback:
Clean and reduce the clutter around your home
Spruce up your yard
Repaint the interior and exterior
Upgrade your lighting and light switches
Add wood trim
Don’t forget another vital piece to preserving your home and all the things that come with it;insurance. Now is the time to get a home insurance update and policy review to make sure your precious items are fully covered at the best value. Have you made improvements that could land you big discounts? Call a California Casualty advisor today for a no hassle policy review at 1.800.800.9410, or visit www.calcas.com.
The recent large earthquakes in Southern California are a reminder to always be earthquake-ready.
Earthquakes come on suddenly, with very little warning. They can be a sharp jolt followed by the ground shaking and cracking, or waves rolling across the ground.
Earthquakes can hit anywhere at any time, and while the West Coast is considered “earthquake country,” the U.S. Geological Survey warns that earthquakes have been registered in every state in the union, with special seismic hazards for areas encompassing the western-third of the nation, and areas extending from Missouri and Illinois to most of the Eastern Seaboard.
After an earthquake strikes many are often left disoriented and full of adrenaline –psyche and security shaken as much as their house. Post-quake your home or apartment may look damage-free, but there can be many hidden dangers.
After checking your family and others for injuries, here are key steps you need to take to ensure your safety:
Check for gas and water line leaks. Know where the shutoff valves are if you smell gas or detect water leaking to prevent fires and water damage.
Be aware of downed power lines.They can still carry a dangerous current.
Inspect chimneys and brick areas for cracks. If cracked, they could send dangerous debris down on you or others.
Check water heater and furnace vents. If they have become separated, it could send dangerous carbon monoxide into the home.
Watch for electrical sparking or the smell of burning wire insulation. This could lead to a fire. Unplug any broken lights or appliances and turn off power at the main fuse box if you detect an issue.
Clean up spilled medicines, drugs or harmful chemicals. Bleach, turpentine, hazardous garden supplies, etc.
Don’t drink from faucets or other unprotected water sources. Wait until given the okay from your municipality or utility, because they could be contaminated.
Always Plan Ahead
Before an earthquake, or other natural disaster hits, you should always have a plan. Here are some tips to help you and your family prepare:
Develop a family communication plan and “meet-up” location if you become separated
Have your first aid kit fully stocked
Prepare an emergency kit with: water, medicines, food, money, other important documents, etc.
Have basic emergency supplies gathered all in one place: flash lights, batteries, blankets, a radio, lighters or matches, cell phone chargers, extra clothes
Be sure to have coverage insurance.
If you havecomprehensive coveragewith your auto insurance, your vehicle is covered for damage from falling debris and other impacts from earthquakes.
However, earthquake damage is not covered under your homeowners or renters insurance policy, and less than 20% of Americans have purchased a policy. That means most people whose property suffers losses from a temblor will be paying out of pocket or relying on federal assistance and loans for recovery.
You can be prepared; California Casualty provides earthquake insurance as an endorsement to home owners policies in California, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Oregon and Rhode Island. We also offer earthquake coverage through our partner, GeoVera Insurance Company, in California, Oregon and Washington. Learn more and get a quote at 877.652.2638 or visit www.calcas.com/earthquake-insurance.
If you are one of the almost 50% of U.S. households that has never completed a home inventory there is no time like the present.
Why is a Home Inventory Important?
A Home Inventory Checklist is a list of your valuable objects in case there is a fire, destructive storm or if someone breaks in and steals your belongings. Doing a home inventory is very important because without one many people have a difficult time pinpointing or recalling everything that might have been destroyed or taken, and unfortunately that can delay claims or keep you from getting full compensation. So, before the hectic holiday season rolls around, and take the time to take inventory of your home.
Just go room by room and document:
Electronics
Personal care items
Jewelry
Art
Kitchen items and appliances
Furniture
Carpeting
Beds and linens
Clothing
Sports equipment
Yard and garden tools
You can choose to write everything down or use photo/video documentation of your belongings. Don’t forget to take pictures of the exterior of your home as well (photos are best from all angels- including the landscaping and any decks or porches). Also take note of everything in the garage, attic, or basement- like holiday ornaments, lawn and yard equipment, tools, etc.
Trying to tally what needs to be replaced is not something you want to do in the event of a claim, so completing your inventory will give you some peace of mind if the worst should happen; and you can use the time to get rid of the old and make room for the new, before the craziness of the holidays.
To help you out, we’ve got a handy home inventory guide already made just for you! You can download it by clicking on the “Household Inventory” image below.
As a fire prevention officer of a fire department, I take fire prevention seriously. At the fire department, we can only inspect commercial buildings for fire codes, but you can do your own inspection to make sure your household is safe. Here are a few tips to make your house just a bit safer for yourself and firefighters.
Do not overload electrical outlets. In commercial buildings, multi plugs are limited to ones that are only certified by Underwriters Laboratory. Multiplugs and certain surge protectors can overheat causing fires.
If you use an extension cord, unplug it after every use. Same as the multiplugs, extension cords can overheat over time causing a fire.
Make sure your smoke detectors have fresh batteries. Smoke detectors save lives – period! Make sure your smoke detectors are in good working order and have fresh batteries. If a fire occurs, they will save your life. The more smoke detectors you have, the safer you are, but try not to put one in or around the kitchen (in case you cook, like I do).
Make sure your electrical panel is clear of obstructions. Firefighters have limited vision in the smoke of a house fire. We must be able to locate and shut off the power to the house to ensure our safety. Keeping the area around the electrical panel clear and clean is an absolute help. A rule in businesses is to keep three feet of clearance around the electrical panel.
In the wintertime, if you use a space heater, make sure to give them space. A rule of thumb for space heaters is put approximately five feet of surrounding clearance. If you have an older model, you may want to consider replacing it. Older space heaters do not have the mechanism to turn off if knocked over. Also, before leaving that the room with the space heater for extended periods of time, unplug the space heater. This will prevent a fire.
These may seem like small things you can do, but they will prevent a fire or help a firefighter battle your house fire (hopefully won’t get to that point). It’s always better to err on the side of caution, then having to deal with a house fire.
Nick Magoteaux has been in public safety for over 15 years. Nick has experience in law enforcement, dispatching, firefighting, and emergency medical service. Nick currently works for four different fire departments in Southwest Ohio, including the busiest fire department per capita in the state. Nick is also the founder and co-executive director of Brothers Helping Brothers, a fire service 501c3 non-profit that specializes in equipment grants to small and rural fire department in the US. Contact Nick at nmagoteaux@brothershelpingbrothers.org.
Nick Magoteaux has been in public safety for over 15 years. Nick has experience in law enforcement, dispatching, firefighting, and emergency medical service. Nick currently works for four different fire departments in Southwest Ohio, including the busiest fire department per capita in the state. Nick is also the founder and co-executive director of 