No matter the size of the operation, contractors face some serious risks, so your coverage needs to be just as serious. Whether you’re thinking of starting a business, or your business is about to thaw and pick up during the spring season, know the facts about the types of insurance your contract business needs.

 Contracting businesses need insurance to protect their business assets from the unexpected and unintended risks, such as injuries or damage to property. When researching insurance policies, it is important to understand what kind of risks are specific to your operation.

What Kind of Risks Do Contractors Face?

Contractors face liability exposures and legal obligations to other parties, such as general contractors, project owners, or individual homeowners. Due to those obligations, one of those third parties can potentially sue or hold a contractor liable for bodily injury or property damage.

Other potential risks to a contractor’s business include:

• Injuries or property damage involving a company vehicle
• On-the-job employee injuries
• A loss to commercial property
• Stole, lost, or damaged equipment or materials
• Unfinished contracted work

What Kind of Insurance Do Contractors Need?

While every contracting business faces unique risks, the most common coverages include:

• General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance protects a contractor’s business assets from third party claims alleging negligence. Alleged negligence may have resulted in bodily injury and/or property damage that occurred while operations are either ongoing or after the work is completed.

General Liability Insurance has limits, and depending upon your risks of business, adding a Preferred Mutual umbrella endorsement to your preexisting policy ensures that you and your business are fully protected.

• Commercial Property Insurance 

Commercial Property Insurance offers protection for your building and its contents from fire, vandalism, theft or smoke damage. You may also want to consider business interruption/loss of earning coverage to protect your earnings if your business is unable to resume normal activities as a result of a covered loss.

Preferred Mutual offers an enhanced, tailor-made Commercial Package Policy, covering more than just your property! Talk to your independent agent to discuss these customizable coverages.

• Commercial Inland Marine Endorsement

Most trade and site improvement contractors have equipment that travels with them from site to site. 

Preferred Mutual offers a Commercial Inland Marine endorsement which protects your property away from premises, including offsite equipment, valuables, and property that is in transit! It also covers valuables that require separate insurance, such as valuable papers!

• Commercial Auto Insurance

Commercial Auto Insurance provides coverage for bodily injury and property damage to a third party, as well as property damage to your business fleet.

Our auto insurance is a little different; you aren’t just protecting your vehicles after an accident, you’re protecting the employees that ride in them, and the products and equipment you need to keep your business running. Preferred Mutual Commercial Auto Insurance Coverage can also be included in the Commercial Package Policy, so be sure to talk to your independent agent to discuss recommendations!

Before the warmer days arrive and your contracting business begins to bloom, take the time to review your existing policy. And make sure you call your Preferred Mutual independent agent to learn about how you can mix and match your coverage to better protect your business!

This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not legal advice and/or an authoritative guide.

Each year, more than 50,000 accidents occur in parking lots and garage structures. Business owners may potentially be held legally liable if an accident occurs on a company-owned parking lot! Read on for tips on how to protect your customers and your bottom line.

As a business owner, you carry many responsibilities including the safety of the people on your property. With so many accidents occurring in parking areas each year, the likelihood that one will occur on your site is fairly high.

Parking Lot Design

Safe parking lots begin with good designs that can accommodate both vehicles and pedestrians safely. According to the National Safety Council, parking areas should be fully enclosed by either a curb or fence. Entrances and exits should be clearly marked, and when possible, oriented so that they encourage right turns both in and out of the lot.

Parking areas should have sufficient lighting and proper lane markings. The means solid or dashed yellow lines to denote traffic flowing in opposite directions and white dashed lines to signify more than one lane traveling in the same direction.

If possible, sidewalks and walkways should be installed to help channel foot traffic. Pedestrians are most at risk in an accident and, according to the National Safety Council, least likely to be paying attention.

Slow Things Down

Parking lots have limited visibility due to parked vehicles and multiple turns encountered in them. Every location is different, but the slower speed limit is better; 5 – 10mph is sufficient in mot parking areas. In some areas, local authorities can enforce the laws on your property, but depending upon location, they may require your permission.

Speed limits should be posted in clear view and strictly enforced either by the local authorities writing speeding citations, company disciplinary actions or both. Speeding should be considered a major safety violation and handled as such.

Use Necessary Signage

Signs help to enforce basic defensive driving, but reminds people to keep off electronic devices, stay buckled-in, to look out for pedestrian traffic, and to be aware of other appropriate warnings to avoid accidents.

In otherwise confusing parking lots, arrows should denote proper traffic flow patterns. Standard roadway signage, such as stop and yield signs, should also be used. 

Other signs that prove useful are pedestrian-related; such as the warning of possible slip, trip and fall hazards.

Live Assured With Preferred Mutual

From the customers who visit your premises to the products you sell, you face enough risks as a business owner. And while there is limited liability coverage provided in most business owner’s policies, you won’t want to wait until you’re faced with a lawsuit to determine if you have enough. Talk to your independent agent today to discuss your business risks and how the extra coverage can help you live assured.

This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not legal advice and/or an authoritative guide.

Happy National Umbrella Day, with a twist.

While we can’t control everything life throws at you, be confident that in your time of need, Preferred Mutual’s Personal Umbrella Coverage will see you through it.

Like an umbrella, Personal Umbrella Coverage will provide broad protection against personal injury hazards, like:

• Libel
• Slander
• False arrest
• Humiliation
• Defamation of character
• False imprisonment
• Wrongful eviction or detention
• Malicious prosecution
• Invasion of privacy

Having umbrella coverage means that you’re protected beyond the limits of regular insurance! That means your assets, home equity, retirement savings and more could be at risk from legal liability claims without the right coverage.

Consider this scenario: You’re sued for $1 million after an auto accident or an incident on your home or property. Your regular insurance only covers up to $500,000 in damages (which is often the highest amount of liability insurance available for standard home and auto insurance policies). Without umbrella coverage, you would be required to pay the remaining $500,000 out of pocket.

Live assured and don’t get caught in the storm without your Umbrella coverage!

Unexpected water in your basement can damage walls, floors and carpeting, and ruin furniture.  It can also lead to mold!  Read on for causes and how to prevent damage!

Basements are often used for storage, in addition to extra living space, so while water damage to your floors, walls and furniture can be upsetting, the most upsetting of all might be how a wet basement can also ruin irreplaceable items like photo albums, antiques and family heirlooms!  

Our Preferred Mutual Claims team put together a list of common causes of flooding they’ve seen and ways to prevent them.

First things first

Don’t risk serious injury if your basement floods!  A flooded basement can be a serious health and safety risk.  If your basement floods, follow these rules to make sure your family stays safe.

Avoid venturing down into the basement if possible.

In the event of severe basement flooding (over an inch or more of standing water), it’s best to stay out of the basement until the water can be pumped out.  Standing water in your basement can contain harmful bacteria.

Shut the power off, including electricity and gas.

If you must venture down into a flood basement, wear waterproof rubber boots.  Avoid touching or using electrical devices (except for a battery-powered flashlight) because this puts you at risk of electrical shock.

Have standing water pumped out as soon as possible!

A professional should pump standing water out of your basement, and can help you handle water-damaged items and materials as well.

Determine the cause of your flooded basement

When you experience a flooded basement, our Customer Service team urges you to determine where the water is coming from first.

Beyond observable flooding around your home and in your neighborhood, there are four common sources of water entering basements:

• Surface water running down foundation walls.
• Groundwater in water-saturated soils being pushed into the basement.
• Storm sewer water from the municipal sewer system backing up into the home’s perimeter foundation drain and leaking into the basement.
• Sanitary sewer water from a clog in your home’s sewer line, the municipal sewer line, or the combined systems backing up into the drain system, causing sewer water to come up through sink drains and floor drains on lower levels.

Here are some things to look for in and outside of your home:

Overflowing gutters: Leaves and downspouts

Keeping gutters clean and the downspouts extended at least 10 feet from your home, you’ll save yourself a lot of headache!

Solution: Add another downspout on that run of gutter or increase the size of the downspout.

Water takes the path of least resistance

Often, if you have cracks in the walls, floors, foundation or windows, water will finds its way through them and into your basement. 

Solution: Seal every crack you can find!

Clogging of sewer drains

Many times, the wrong items make it down the toilet.  This will lead to sewer drain clog that can eventually lead to basement flooding. 

Solution: Keep your toilet bowl and its plumbing free from debris like napkins, dental floss, or cotton swabs!  This also means keeping your children from making the mistake of flushing toys and other items down, too!

If you are hoping your insurance company will cover damage to your wood-framed walls, drywall, flooring, or items lost to water damage, think again.  Insurance to protect against flood loss almost always has to be purchased under a separate policy.  Be sure to talk to an independent agent today to discuss the risk of your home to flooding events!  Find your independent agent today!

Winter weather may not be completely unavoidable, but according to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, there are ways to reduce those winter risks! Read on for tips on how to monitor and protect your business during those unpredictable winter months.

The Northeast can be exposed to a variety of winter weather; from blizzard conditions and freezing rain, to phenomena like thunder-snow are all awaited every season. The days where a snowstorm meant no school are long gone for business owners, and they must prepare for whatever havoc the storm might wreak.

Common winter threats to businesses (and homes, alike) include:

• Injuries and illnesses
• Property damage
• Power loss
• Communications disruption
• Compromised access to the facility
• Difficulty obtaining transportation, and increase potential for accidents

Anticipating poor winter weather and properly preparing a business for emergency situations are the keys to protecting your business, property and employees.

Where to start?

First, understand the exposure to the climate in your geographical location. Your area may experience cold weather for significantly longer periods of time, and can lead to dangerously hazardous conditions outside, as well as inside your commercial building:

Burst pipes – The leading cause of property damage. 

Prevention: Maintain proper insulation and a minimum interior temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Monitor your thermostat to ensure it doesn’t dip below 40 degrees. Seal all cracks, holes, windows, doors, and other openings on exterior walls with caulk or insulation to prevent cold air from getting through those cavities.

Smaller commercial properties might benefit from allowing faucets drip during extreme blasts of cold weather. If freezing does occur, the drip will relieve pressure buildup in the pipes between the ice blockage and the faucet.

Excess snow and ice – This could potentially put a building’s structure at risk of failure.

Prevention: While there is no way to protect a roof from accumulating snow, once the storm has passed, you can still protect your business by doing a visual assessment to see if excess snow removal is necessary. Hire a professional to inspect and remove the snow if it is not safe to remove it yourself.

Snow drifts and sliding snow are also hazards. Businesses are likely to see concentrated snow accumulations (snow drifts) around roof protrusions, mechanical units, elevator and stairwell shafts, parapets, chimneys, and adjacent taller buildings. Sliding snow tens to fall onto a lower roof, if your building has one, and overloads the structural deck and frame. 

Ice Dams: Drains and gutters – If water does not properly drain off a roof, this could re-freeze and create additional loads to a roof and cause interior water damage.

Prevention: Throughout the winter season, periodically remove debris (such as leaves) that may prevent drainage of water. During the off-season, hire a qualified licensed contractor to verify that you have adequate drainage capacity!

Power outages – Can greatly reduce business operations if normal power is interrupted.

Prevention: Generators are an integral part of the preparedness planning process for businesses of every size. They can be especially crucial when temperatures are below freezing, leaving your business vulnerable to internal temperature drops. Backup power can help maintain a consistent building temperature and reduce the risk of freezing pipes. 

Failing to prepare for the winter can be the difference between seeing the next winter or not. To best protect your business, property and employees from such disasters, it is a critical step to formulate a comprehensive disaster recovery plan. Make sure you include Preferred Mutual in that plan! Talk with your independent agent today to ensure that you have the protection and peace of mind you need to Live Assured.

This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not legal advice and/or an authoritative guide.

It seems like a no-brainer to leave the lights on outside of your home to deter burglars while you’re away or asleep. But does that really work, or is it just a waste of electricity? Read on for tips on how to secure your home, and save money!

The answer to this question can differ depending on a number of factors, but one thing is clear: there are more than 1.5 million residential burglaries in the United States every year, and over half of those burglaries involved forcible entry according to the Criminal Justice Information Services Division of the FBI.

If you’re relying on lights as part of your home security routine, be sure to put some thought into how you’re using them. Here are a few general recommendations about when to light things up – and some instances where it may be better to be in the dark.

Always contact your local law enforcement via their non-emergency line (do not dial 911) if you’re curious about trends of burglaries specific to your area, and ask for tips on how to better thwart them! 

When to Keep Your Lights On

There are plenty of instances where it makes sense to leave your porch light on:

• When you’re home (and awake). This doesn’t just alert a potential thief to the fact that someone is home; it allows you to see anyone approaching or exploring around outside. Having a variety of interior lights on, of course, also shows that the home is occupied and not the best target.
• When you go out at night. Generally, leaving a light on when you go out provides you easier access into your home before someone who is lurking nearby can surprise you.
• If possible, combine a porch light with other lights. If you have lighting in your backyard or over the garage, use those in conjunction with the one by your front door and interior lights. This can add to the appearance that someone is home.

When to Keep Your Lights Off

Despite what many people think, having your lights on all the time isn’t helpful. It may actually attract burglars who are casing the area for patterns of how you use your lights!

• When it’s light out. Exterior lights left on all day can give the impression that nobody is home. After all, if you were home, wouldn’t you have turned them off during the daytime?
• When you’re on vacation. The same principle applies to your vacation – When burglars notice lights on for several days at a time, they will likely assume you’re away.
• When you go to sleep. This might seem counterintuitive, but residential crime happens often during the daylight hours, when you’re at work and the children are at school so that porch light on at 3AM might not do as much as you think.
• If you live in a rural area. Lights might help burglars more than deter them by providing light to help them navigate an otherwise dark exterior. And, unlike a city, there are few people around to spot them snooping suspiciously in the glow of a porch light.

A Great Option: Automate Your Lights!

The goal of lighting, from a security standpoint, is to make thieves believe someone is occupying your home. The most effective way to do that is by lighting, both inside and out. By varying the times these lights turn on and off, you can accomplish the appearance of being home when you’re not!

Automatically adjusting your exterior and interior lights can be as easy as purchasing a lamp with Bluetooth capabilities that you can monitor through your mobile device or come with a timer that you can set before you leave. Another option might be to purchase motion-sensing lights to startle burglars as they approach your home. 

However you use your lights, Preferred Mutual encourages you to take other security measures, in addition to lights:

• Trim your trees and shrubs.
• Confide in a neighbor your trust if you’ll be out of town.
• Install a home alarm that will connect you to local authorities in the event of a breach.

Remember, turning on your lights may only be truly effective if it is part of a larger strategy to keep your home secure. Part of that strategy should involve your insurance company. Call your Preferred Mutual independent agent today to make sure your property and belongings are properly covered under your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance! Being prepared is your best defense, so that you can live assured!

Whether it’s a short trip or a lengthy drive, make sure car journeys are comfortable and safe for your fluffy companion, and limit distractions by following these tips!

According to a survey sponsored by American Automobile Association (AAA) and Kurgo Pet Products, over one third of the respondents admit to being distracted by their dog while driving; however, a 65% have participated in at least one distracting behavior while driving with their dog:

• More than half have pet their dog while driving.
• 17% allowed their dog to sit in their lap.
• 13% of drivers admitted to giving food or treats to their dog while driving.
• 4% acknowledge playing with their dog.

Have you done one or more of these things? If so, you’re increasing your risk of an accident!

Unrestrained dogs are dangerous to you as the driver, any passengers traveling with you, as well as man’s best friend – your pup!

Most cars weren’t designed with your pet in mind, so your regular seatbelt won’t fit them! The use of a pet restraint system can aid in limiting distractions and help protect your pet! Systems such as a dog harness, a zipline harness, hard or padded crates which can be fastened within the vehicle, or a back seat hammock have proven to protect you and your pet while on the road!

6 Tips for Being on the Road with Your Dog

1. Schedule plenty of stops: Let your dog stretch its legs, go to the bathroom and burn off some energy.
2. Start with shorter journeys and work from there: Some dogs get motion sickness.
3. Don't feed your pet while driving: Feed your dog at least three hours before your trip.
4. Don't let them hang out of the window: Also, it's not good for a dog’s eyes as it can dry them out.
5. Don't give them treats on the trip: Your dog could choke while eating on the move.
6. Always have the air-conditioner on: Cars can get very hot for dogs; keep the car well ventilated.

It might look like rain, but when droplets start freezing on contact with roads, windshields and sidewalks, freezing rain can easily become winter’s most treacherous of conditions. Read on for tips on how to identify and drive in freezing rain!

Freezing rain develops as falling snow, but as it passes through a layer of warmer air, the snowflakes melt and become rain. As the rain continues to fall, the droplets pass through a thinner layer of cold air just above the surface and cools to a temperature below freezing because the rain drops do not have enough time to completely freeze back to snow or sleet.  These supercooled drops strike a frozen surface, like cars and roads, casting a spell over surfaces only rivaled by Disney’s imagination.

Ice storms can be the most devastating of winter weather phenomena and are often the cause of automobile accidents, power outages and personal injury.

Understand the freezing pattern on your car.

Freezing rain will accumulate on your vehicle pretty quickly and it will coat your car with a thin layer of ice. If the storm has passed, simply scrape the ice off all windows for visibility. However, if freezing rain is still falling, and you must drive in it, it is best to keep your car as warm as possible so that you minimize the chance of ice forming on the areas you’ve already scraped.

Contrary to popular belief, four-wheel drive vehicles do not make a difference at all in freezing rain.

When there is ice on the road, there is very little, if any, friction or resistance to keep the tires where they should be. Ice does not care if you’re a good driver, have the best tires or drive the most winterized vehicle ever to hit the road. The best defense for ice is to stay off the road.

Don’t drive, if you don’t have to.

If you are aware of freezing rain conditions, stay home. Even with the reduction of speed, slick conditions like freezing rain just means that you will slide slower across the ice-ridden roads.

If freezing rain begins while you’re on the road,

...try to find a safe location (off the highway or busy road) to pull over and wait for the freezing rain storm to pass. Do not pull over to the side of the road, as often times, other cars won’t see you until they’re close enough to hit their brakes and slide into you.

Crank up your windshield defroster, and make sure your wipers are ready.

Visibility tends to be the worst in icy conditions, so you want your wipers to be in the best possible condition. If they streak, skip or leave patches you can’t see through, consider replacing them as soon as possible.

Identify the first places ice forms so you can take extra caution when approaching them.

Areas like bridges and overpasses, low lying areas, areas in shadow, higher elevations, and roads near bodies of water are all the first places ice will appear. When driving through these areas, be extra cautious and take your time.

Stay alert, because it can save your life.

Driving in freezing rain demands the utmost concentration, so focus on the road and those around you with limited distractions.

Driving in sleet or freezing rain is obviously risky, but being prepared is your best weapon of defense! Live assured with these tips and with Preferred Mutual!

This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not legal advice and/or an authoritative guide.

Experts advise that when you’re comparing insurance policies, shopping by price alone is a huge mistake. Finding a policy that offers you the protection you need combined with great customer service is the best way to proceed with research.

Sure; 15 minutes of filling out an online quote sounds like it will save you money, but those cut-rate insurance carriers usually come with surprises that you might not be aware of until you are in need of making a claim. And believe us when we say those surprises are not the kind you want to be the last to know about. 

Insurance can be complicated! That’s why when you choose an independent agent representing Preferred Mutual, you’re choosing an expert, not an algorithm, to find you the perfect policy for you.

Lower coverage – The best way to lower your policy prices is to lower the coverage, but you could be on the hook for expenses outside of the basic required coverages in your state! Many cut-rate policies will only offer coverage limits that are mandated by the state the policy is being written in. This means that if you’re at fault in any accident, the policy limits the amount of damage they’ll pay for.  Your cut-rate insurance company won’t spell that out for you.

Our agents invest in understanding what matters to you, will walk you through your policy, and answer any questions about coverages so you’re not left in the dark. Preferred Mutual offers the best protection with a host of coverage options for you, your family and your wallet!

High deductibles – Cut-rate policies often have high deductibles that can be a great way to save money month to month, but if you get in an accident, that $1000 deductible on your policy can get pretty expensive quickly if you have more than one accident in a year.

When deciding on a policy with your Preferred Mutual insurance agent, they’ll talk to you about what you can afford versus the coverages you need. 

Poor customer service – A cheap policy is usually accompanied by slow response times, crowded helplines, limited available adjusters that take forever to look at the damage on your vehicle, and the repairs are cheaply done. All of these things will influence how quickly you get back on the road! 

Preferred Mutual thinks about insurance differently, and so do our agents. Your agent is your advocate! When researching insurance policies, think about who you want on your side if you are ever in need of filing a claim. Preferred Mutual and our independent agents work together to resolve your claim with superior, prompt customer service, allowing you to focus on the people and things that matter most to you.

Get behind the wheel and take control! Find a Preferred Mutual independent agent today who will build the best policy to meet your needs. Don’t get an insurance quote for people like you; get an insurance quote designed specifically for you and Live Assured.

This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not legal advice and/or an authoritative guide.

Your business plan should help you build your business, acting as a roadmap for how to structure, run and grow your business. Read on for tips on how to create your business plan, and for what business analysts feel are the key elements to running a successful business!

Every year, thousands of people file insurance claims; whether they’ve been in a car accident, their house caught fire, or because their cat played with the faucet and left the water running. While all of these incidents can be prevented to the best of our abilities, accidents do happen. Luckily, you have Preferred Mutual!

What doesn’t happen by accident? Safety. Call the authorities immediately!

Collect as much information as you can!

As much as you’d like to believe your property is safe while you’re not home, theft happens at an alarming rate every year.  Fortunately, there are many easy, affordable and commonsense things you can do to protect your home!

The Federal Bureau of Investigation reports an average of 2.5 million burglaries occur each year; 66% of them are home break-ins between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Avoid becoming a statistic and implement these tips to prevent theft and protect your home, loved ones and your possessions!

Tighten Up Your Security

• Add a security sign to your yard or stickers to your door.  While it may not fool the burglar, they may think twice about approaching your home.
• Consider investing in a home security system, which can also qualify for discounts on your homeowners insurance.
• Trim back your landscaping so burglars have fewer places to hide.
• Install a motion sensor light to common entryways, and install them high enough so a burglar can’t unscrew or unplug it.
• If you’re on vacation or out for the evening, turn exterior lights on, as well as internal lights.
• Install deadbolt locks on exterior doors that have been given a Grade 1 from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
• Double-check doors and windows to ensure they are locked before leaving.
• Dogs are also exceptional deterrents to theft! Let your dog be seen – and heard!

Hide Your Valuables

• Thieves will look for gaming systems, small electronics.  Cover your windows so thieves can’t spot them from outside the home.
• Intruders will likely look in drawers and closets first.  Hide your valuables, jewelry and cash in a safe and in another location.
• Lock your office, if you have one.  Your desk might be filled with important papers, statements and banking information!

Pretend You’re Home

• Leave lights on timers while you’re away – Choose timers that have random settings so thieves don’t detect a pattern.
• Leave a radio or television on if you’ll be gone for a short time.
• Don’t post your travel plans on social media websites!
• When you’re leaving for an extended period of time, ask a trusted neighbor of family to watch over your home, gather your mail and give the home the appearance of activity!
  

Theft is the most commonly reported property crime in the Unites States!  For those items of higher value, your Homeowner’s, Mobile Homeowners, Renter’s or Condo’s policy might not be enough to replace them if they’re stolen!  Create a household inventory checklist, discuss its contents with your independent agent, and determine if you need a valuable possessions endorsement to protect your valuables! That’s living assured!

This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not legal advice and/or an authoritative guide.

1. Unplug your electronic devices when they are not in use, whenever possible. This can prevent equipment damage, as well as cut down on your electric bill.
2. Layer surge protection devices inside and outside of your home to protect all of your equipment. With the right surge protection devices in place, you can prepare for everything from lightning strikes, to the voltage spike from starting up a new refrigerator.
3. Regularly clean and maintain all of your home’s equipment and systems. For larger systems, have a licensed service professional inspect and service your equipment every year.

What’s the Next Step?

This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not legal advice and/or an authoritative guide.

Your hobby is important to you, therefore it’s important to us! Your hunting gear deserves superior coverage! Read on for what you need to know about insuring your firearms.

Imagine coming home to a mess. And we don’t mean the kind of mess where the dog got to a roll of paper towels and shred it to pieces. We are talking about the kind of mess you only see on the news: the pistol your grandfather gave you is gone, and the pump shotgun and deer rifle you were going to take with you on a hunting trip with your buddies? Also gone.

This type of mess may have been caused by a broken pipe, a fire, or by a burglar.  You may have great homeowners insurance that can help cover all three of those disasters in terms of repairing damage to your home, but were your firearms properly insured?

We don’t like to think a catastrophe will happen to us, but there’s good news. The big mess was just a hypothetical scenario. It’s not too late to get Preferred Mutual Guns and Firearms Insurance.

Here is what you need to know about insuring firearms:

Know their value! Firearms, like any other possession, will have limited coverage under your typical homeowners insurance policy, and thereby would be eligible for replacement or reimbursement in the event of a covered disaster.

What about the higher monetary value firearms, though?

Talk with your independent agent today about whether you need additional coverage to insure the firearm to its total value!

Know their risk! Although simply owning a firearm will not increase your insurance premium, it is important to understand that there is still a liability risk if you store it in your home.

While we don’t want to imagine worst-case scenarios, accidental shootings do occur at an alarmingly high rate – approximately 3,800 people in the United States have died from unintentional shootings between 2005 and 2010, alone!

Storing your firearm in your home? Follow these safety measures!

• Keep all firearms locked in a cabinet or safe that cannot be accessed by children or anyone without your knowledge.
• Stored firearms should not be loaded; when not in use, empty all ammunition.
• Equip all firearms with child safety locks.

While these are just a few safety tips, at Preferred Mutual, we believe that taking these steps to protect your possessions, your finances, and your family is just the start to living assured. For more ways to safeguard what matters most, talk to your independent agent today about Preferred Mutual Homeowners Insurance, as well as adding Guns and Firearms Insurance!

* All descriptions of coverage are subject to the actual provisions of the policy, which should be consulted to determine whether any given loss is covered.

A home is one of the most important financial transactions you’ll ever make! The more you know about what home inspections entail, and more importantly, how they affect you as a buyer, the more confident you will be moving forward with your transaction!

Tips For Buyers

1. Get a reference from your real estate agent.
2. Look for a company that is bonded and insured.
3. Verify that the inspection company only does inspections – not home repairs and renovations.
4. Get references from friends and family.
5. Verify that you can accompany the inspector while he or she goes through the home.
6. Choose an ASHI certified or InterNACHI inspector. These are highly respected organizations that offer inspectors higher levels of training and certifications.

Ask the Right Questions

1. How is the home inspection done? A home inspection is conducted based on the type of loan you plan on purchasing the home with.  The provisions required for each type of loan will be different; be sure to ask your home inspector what those guidelines are! If they mention an issue, ask for a thorough explanation on the spot. They should be happy to explain their observations.
2. How big is the problem they noted? You need an appropriate perspective on what issues are most pressing to help you make educated decisions on whether the home is in a condition you are able to purchase.
3. Do I need an expert to assess this issue? Diagnosing issues might require more specific expertise; remember, the home inspector can cite issues, but may not be qualified to address them the way an expert can!
4. Is this a common problem? Often, an inspector will have done home inspections for many homes in your area, in the type of home you’re hoping to purchase, and can attest to whether a problem is common in those homes or more unusual.
5. Can you advise me on things I can wait to fix when I have moved in and which ones need to be addressed immediately? Often, a home inspector might note a roof, for instance, is within 5 years of needing replacing, and might recommend that upon your moving in that you replace it within a few years. Other times a repair might need to be done immediately to make sure the integrity of the home is meeting a safe and livable standard.

Keep in mind the purpose of a home inspection is to identify major structural, mechanical, or safety defects of the home.  You should focus on significant issues that should be repaired prior to closing so that the home is safe for you and your family.

Trust Your Real Estate Agent.

Trust Your Insurance Agent.

Halloween is full of magic and fright, but not just ghosts and goblins. We’re talking about the fine line between fun and safety concerns, especially when it comes to Halloween tricks and pranks. Read on for Preferred Mutual’s 5 Halloween Hazards and how we can help!

2. Terrifying goblins toilet-paper your yard and home.

3. Stolen lawn gnomes, or your favorite skeleton, Mr. Bones.

4. Good ol’ jack-o’-lantern starts a fire.

5. Pedestrians can cause havoc on the roads.

Our Best Halloween Insurance Tips

This information is intended for educational purposes only and does not reflect individual policies and coverages. Please call your independent agent to discuss your personal or business insurance coverages.

Chimney Safety

Your chimney—and the flue that lines it—adds architectural interest to your home, but the real function is to carry dangerous flue gases from your fireplace, wood stove or furnace safely out of your home.  As the weather gets cooler and you relax in front of your fireplace, know the facts about chimney fires!

Basking in the warmth of your fireplace or wood stove might be a fall and winter pastime for you and your family, and the last thing you are likely thinking about is the condition of your chimney.  However, if you don’t give thought to it before you light those cold weather fires, your enjoyment may be short-lived.

Why?

Dirty chimneys increase you’re the risk of chimney fires, and if residue and debris catch on fire, it can cause damage to the structure of your home, even destroy your home and severely injure or kill people.

Chimney fires have been described as creating:

• Loud cracking and popping noises
• A lot of dense smoke, and
• An intense, hot smell

Chimney fires can burn at an explosive and rapid pace!

Undetected Chimney Fires

A fire belongs in the fireplace, so it is easy to assume that the noises, smoke and smells are all part of the experience, but slow-burning chimney fires often go undetected until it is too late.  Chimney fires happen more often than you think, and have likely been self-contained before you knew otherwise. 

What You Must Know

Fireplaces and wood stoves are designed to safely contain wood-fuel fires, while providing heat for your home.  The chemistry that occurs during this process, like the substances produced when wood burns (smoke, water vapor, gases, unburned wood particles, hydrocarbon, tar fog and other minerals), can build up over time, creating a residue that sticks to the inner walls of your chimney called creosote.

Creosote is a black or brown residue that can be crusty and flaky; almost tar-like, drippy and sticky.  Sometimes it can be shiny and hardened.  No matter its condition, all forms are highly combustible, and if it builds up in sufficient quantities, and the temperature reaches high enough, it can combust.

Get Your Chimney Inspected By a Professional

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) certifies chimney sweeps and recommends that if you’re shopping for an inspector, make sure they have the CSIA approved credentials!  To find a certified professional near you, start your search here!

During National Chimney Safety Week, Preferred Mutual reminds you to perform proper maintenance on your chimney each year before the cold season begins to help protect your home, your loved ones and your belongings. 

It’s also a perfect time to call your independent agent and make sure you have the best coverage for your home and your wallet!  When you’re covered by Preferred Mutual, you’re living assured.

Know the Drill: Practice Your Fire Escape Plan

According to the National Fire Prevention Agency, 71% of Americans have an escape plan in case of a fire, but only 47% of those have actually practiced it!

The good news is that creating and practicing a home fire escape plan is really simple!  Follow the steps below to make sure everyone in your home is prepared with what to do in case of a home fire.

• Make a written home fire escape plan and ensure your family practices getting out of the home in under 2 minutes
• Check that you have smoke alarms in all the right places and test them twice a year
• Learn the best practices for home fire safety in your kitchen, around the fireplace and more http://makesafehappen.com/articles/children-and-fire-safety
• To learn more about fire safety, go to the U.S. Fire Administration and plan your home fire escape, download a home safety checklist, and have a home fire drill.

Make an Escape Plan

It is important to have a plan when there are children in your home.  Children sometimes need help getting out of the house.  They may not know how to escape or what to do unless an adult shows them.

• Have a plan for young children who cannot get outside by themselves. You will need to wake babies and very young children and help them get out. In your plan, talk about who will help each child get out safely.
• It is important to learn two ways out of every room in your home, in case one exit is blocked or dangerous to use.
• Remember, if there is smoke, you need to get low and go to your exits. Practice getting low and moving to your exits.
• Choose a safe meeting place a safe distance from your home. Children should know what to do when they hear a smoke alarm and there is no adult around. Help them practice going to the outside meeting place. Teach them to never go back inside a building that is on fire.
• Have a home fire drill at least twice a year; everyone can practice what to do if the smoke alarm sounds.

Children and Fire Safety

• Children can become scared and confused during emergencies, so teach them to never hide from firefighters.
• Teach children to NEVER go back inside a burning building. Once they are out, stay out!
• Teach your child to get low and crawl on the ground; the air is less smoky the closer to the ground.
• Show a child how to use the back of their hand to check doors for heat before opening and to use a different way out if the door is hot.
• If your child needs to use an escape ladder, show them where you keep it and practice how to use it.

Conduct a Home Fire Drill

Fires can start anywhere in the home and at any time, so run through the plan at different times of the day or night, and practice different ways out.

Step 1. Know where to go: Pick a safe meeting place that’s near your home and a safe distance away. Explain to your family that when the smoke alarm beeps, they need to get out of the house quickly and meet at that safety spot.

Step 2. Check your smoke alarms: Test your smoke alarms each month with your kids so they know the sound.  Make sure there’s a smoke alarm on every level of your home, and one in each bedroom.

Step 3. Do the drill: Have kids head to their bedrooms and wait for the drill to begin. For children under 6 years old, assign adults to help anyone who’ll need it. Put one adult in charge of sounding the smoke alarm and running the drill.  Next, sound the smoke alarm, start the timer and have everyone evacuate the home to the safety spot.  Once everyone gets to the safe meeting place, stop the timer.  Practice until your family is able to get to the safety spot in under two minutes!  In a real fire, get to the safe meeting place, then call 911 and keep everyone close until firefighters arrive.

This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not legal advice and/or an authoritative guide.

Protect Your Assets: Fire Prevention for Business Owners

It’s easy to fall into the daily grind and forget about fire safety!  Follow these tips to keep fire safety top of mind for you and your employees!

When it comes to protecting your assets, you’re all business, and so are we! At Preferred Mutual, we know all too well how a fire can disrupt your daily operations, and result in property and equipment loss; and worse, how dangerous a fire is to your people.

According to National Fire Prevention Association, prevention is the best way to avoid fires. This means that in addition to reducing your office’s risk, your priority needs to be educating your employees on identifying risks!

1. Identify office issues before they lead to a fire is the best, most proactive approach.Train employees to be able to identify potential fire hazards. Employees need to know that it is everyone’s responsibility to keep the office environment as safe as possible. They should be able to notice something that could be dangerous such as overloaded electrical sockets. Not only is identification important, but they must also know how to report these potential hazards quickly and effectively so that the problem can be solved before it leads to a dangerous situation.
2. Educate employees about how to respond in the event of an emergency.All emergency exits and routes should be clearly posted in every room of your office. Also, make sure employees know where the closest exit is. Practice fire drills yearly to ensure that all individuals know how to exit and remain calm in case of a real fire.Fire extinguishers are one of the most reliable ways to put out fires in the workplace.  All workplaces should have equipment for putting out fires.  You may want to train workers in general fire extinguisher use to comply with OSHA standards.   OSHA states that if employers expect workers to use the fire extinguishers themselves, hands-on training must be provided.
3. Check the fire alarms and smoke detectors regularly. Often smoke detectors will run out of batteries. If the detector does not have enough power to signal an alarm, fires could go unnoticed until it is too late.
4. If an employee identifies an issue, fix it! Never assume the issue has been corrected right away. Check to make sure the job was done right.
5. Make sure fire exits are never blocked in an office.That extra door that no one ever uses may seem like a great place for extra storage, however this is a huge risk! While most times you will never need this door, the one time you do need access will be in an emergency, and if the door is blocked off and people cannot access it, their lives are potentially at risk. Keep all doors clear so that they can easily be opened as needed.

You can never be too cautious when it comes to preventing fires in your office or workplace!  After all, doing so helps to protect your employees, and protects what you’ve worked so hard to build.  Talk to your independent agent today to ensure you have the best coverage so you can get back to business quickly!

This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not legal advice and/or an authoritative guide.

How to Protect Your Small Business from Flooding       

Extreme participation can happen anywhere and exceed expectations, often with little or no warning!  That’s why it’s important to take advance measures to prevent or reduce the damage a flood can cause. Read on for tips on how to prepare your small business during extreme weather-related events.

While the National Weather Service is a reliable resource for tracking severe weather, flooding often occurs with little warning.  Rising river waters after heavy snow or rainfall, the breaching of dams or levees, and flash flooding caused by sudden, excessive rainfall can have devastating consequences for business owners, including damage to buildings, loss of inventory, to debris removal and extensive cleanup, to total business interruption!

Know Your Flood Zone

By knowing your flood zone, you’ll have a better understanding of the risk of flooding in your area!  No matter where your business is located, some risk of flooding exists.  To find your community’s flood map, visit the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, then type in your address and search. You may view, print and download flood maps, open an interactive flood map (if available), and view all products related to your community.

Learn Your BFE

Learn the base flood elevation (BFE) for your business property to determine whether the elevation of your building’s lowest floor is above or below the BFE.  Why does it matter?  If below, you may want to consider elevating your structure to reduce the chances of flooding!  Buildings should be at least three feet above the BFE, in the event of higher-than-expected flood levels.

Have a Business Continuity Plan

A business continuity plan is a strategy for recovering your business in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.  An effective business continuity plan builds upon four key steps:

1. Identify your risks or threats.

2. Identify your critical business functions and the processes and resources required to support them.  This may include things like answering the phones, running key equipment and distributing your product or service.

3. Adopt controls to prevent an event or reduce its impact and severity.  For example, you might keep copies of all paper and digital files in an off-site location or maintain critical equipment at a higher elevation such as the second floor of your building.

4. Test and improve your plan routinely, and train your employees on their roles in executing the plan.

The U.S. government’s Ready Campaign provides a suite of tools to help you prepare a continuity plan tailored to your business needs.

Purchase Flood Insurance

Most standard business insurance policies do not cover flood damage and the loss of income that can result.  In other words, even if your business has a good insurance policy, a flood could wash everything away.  However, you can purchase flood insurance via the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). NFIP offers up to $500,000 of protection for your commercial building and $500,000 for contents.  If you live outside a floodplain, you may be eligible for a preferred risk policy with a much lower premium than policies for higher risk areas offer.

It’s important to note that NFIP offers coverage for business property only; it does not provide protection for loss of income if your business is closed for a period of time following a flood.  This can be a serious concern for small business owners who do not have large reserves set aside for unexpected downtime.  If this is a concern for you, excess flood insurance may also be available for properties valued above the NFIP limits to which business interruption coverage may be added.

Prepare Your Property

Basements are vulnerable to flooding because water can flow down into them and seep through walls when the surrounding ground is saturated.  If your business has a basement, these measures can help reduce the damage a flood can cause:

• Inspect your basement for evidence of water entry. Caulk any cracks on interior walls, extend downspouts and re-grade the landscape so water runs away from the building.
• Install a sump pump to protect against seeping groundwater or minor floods. A battery-powered model will operate even when the power is out.
• If water is a recurring problem, apply a waterproof sealant to foundation cracks, framing joints and the floor. For a longer-lasting remedy, you may need to install a drainage system and a waterproof membrane around the perimeter of the foundation.
• Move valuable equipment, papers and inventory to a safer location, such as a second floor or attic.

To reduce the risk of health and environment damage:

• Anchor your fuel tanks. Unanchored tanks can float away and release fuel during a flood.
• Install sewer backflow valves to prevent sewage from backing up into your building.
• If your business uses well water, a licensed well drilling contractor can advise on ways to protect the well from contamination.

Flooding is a common challenge many businesses face. By taking proactive measures and insuring your business against the risk of flood, you can minimize potential damage a flood can cause — and help ensure that your business prevails.

This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not legal advice and/or an authoritative guide.