Insurance Blog

Do you know the best time to apply for Long Term Care Insurance? What about the other kinds of variables affect pricing? If you are considering Long Term Car Insurance, knowing the answers to these questions can help you get an affordable rate. The Chicago Tribune recently ran a very informative article that can help you understand key aspects of this type of insurance. Have a look, and if you have any questions about this type of policy, give our office a call.

An important component of your home insurance, condo insurance, or renters insurance policy is your personal property coverage. However, it can be difficult to determine exactly how much coverage you might need. Fortunately, there are a few tools you can use to help you figure it out. Knowyourstuff.org will give you step by step instructions for taking stock of your belongings. To make things simple, they provide you with a list of room and item categories. You can also attach files including receipts. They even have an app for your phone to make the process even easier. The best part is that you can log in to the website and access this information anywhere, so in the event of an extreme loss, you can be sure your information is still there.

If you don’t like knowyourstuff.org, there are a few other phone apps out there. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ site, insureuonline.org, has an app called scr.APP.book. MyHome Lite is another free app you can use. No matter which you choose, having a comprehensive list of your belongings will make it much easier determine how much personality property coverage you need.

Are you planning on escaping freezing temperatures and slushy streets? If so, we have a few recommendations to keep you from having to file a homeowners insurance claim when you get back.

-Have your furnace inspected and change the filter. Then set your minimum temperature to 55 degrees to keep your pipes from freezing while you are gone.

-If you are going to be gone for more than a week, you should consider turning off your water supply lines. This will further reduce the likelihood of your pipes freezing.

-Make sure your doors and windows are securely locked. This will keep cold air (and intruders) from getting into your home.

-Have a neighbor collect your mail. Seeing mail pile up outside your house will tip off possible intruders that you are not home. You can also take the added precaution of putting your lights on timers.

-If you have an alarm company, let them know the dates you will be out of town. If not, contact the police department and give them the information.

Driving in the snow can present some challenges, so give yourself every advantage you can get.

• Clear the snow off of your entire vehicle, not just the front windshield. All that extra snow weight can really affect your vehicle’s balance and gas mileage. You also do not want all that snow on your roof to fall on your windshield when you stop.
• Maintain proper tire inflation and change your tires if your tread is worn down. This will help you get the best traction on slippery roads
• Accelerate and break slowly. A quick change in momentum can cause your tires to lose their grip of the road.
• Maintain a lower average speed and put more space between you and other vehicles. This will give you more response time in case something unexpected happens in the snow.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full to keep your gas line from freezing.
• Be extra aware of cyclists. The pile of snow in the bike lane will force them closer to the middle of the road.
• Don’t drive if you don’t have to. Chicago has great public transit options. Use them and save yourself the risk.

Stay safe out there!

As I am sure you know, the snow is finally here in Chicago, and it looks like it is going to be bad. Luckily our city has some great online resources to help you survive the snow. You can find them on Chicagoshovels.org. There, you can use the Plow Tracker tool to find out where the city’s plows are, get the latest weather information, sign up for SMS alerts, and use some great winter weather apps.

Enjoy the snow and stay safe out there.