How Clean Are Your Dryer Vents?
Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 | dyer vent cleaning, fire hazards, home maintenance, Insurance | 1 Comment
We have always been fairly responsible about routine maintenance concerns. We make sure to visit the dentist every 6 months. We have our cars serviced regularly – oil changed, tires rotated. We keep up with home maintenance – the furnace is serviced, the chimney is swept, and the gutters are cleared – regularly. So you can imagine my shock to hear there was something important we had been neglecting!
After our routine furnace-cleaning last week, the service man asked me, “When was the last time you had your dryer vent cleaned?” I thought out loud, “The last time? I’m not sure there was ever a first time.” He went on to tell me the dryer vent was completely blocked, creating a very dangerous fire hazard! Something he was so concerned about that he wrote on my receipt, “Dryer vent is a fire hazard. Please have serviced.” Well, I wasted no time addressing the condition of the vent. The minute he left, I sat down at my computer and googled “dryer vent cleaning” – the very first hit out of 550,000 turned out to be Searsclean. I made an appointment to have it serviced the very next day! And then I did some more research…
According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), clothes dryer fires are responsible for about 15,600 building fires with 15 deaths and 400 injuries per year. 70% of those dryer fires are caused by a “failure to clean”; the accumulation of lint in the dryer vent restricts airflow, creating a highly-flammable area. There are several things you can do to help ensure this doesn’t happen in your home:
- Be observant – If you notice your laundry loads are taking longer to dry, it may be an indication the vents are blocked (either by lint or another obstruction such as a birds nest).
- Service regularly - Have the dryer duct, components, and venting serviced on a regular basis (dependant on the number of loads you dry and the length of the vent hose).
- Protect the exhaust opening – Be sure to have a covering on the outside wall to keep the elements out, but don’t use wire screen or cloth of any kind to protect the exhaust opening.
- Follow dryer safety recommendations– including:
- Never put synthetic materials in the dryer.
- Clean lint filter regularly.
- Replace lint filter if it is ripped.
- Never leave dryer running when you leave the house or are asleep.
The USFA has a great brochure with more information and safety tips (http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v7i1.pdf).
Without a doubt, I was very lucky the furnace man pointed out our clogged dryer vent. In fact, while I had the vent serviced that next day, I heard that service man ask the very same questions I had heard the day before, “When was the last time you had your dryer vent cleaned? Are you aware it is completely blocked, creating a very dangerous fire hazard?” Wow…we had really been neglecting something very important on our regular home maintenance checklist. Having the dryer vent cleared is definitely now on our yearly maintenance schedule!
Child Car Safety
Friday, February 3rd, 2012 | car seat belts, child car seats, highway driving, independent insurance agency, Insurance | No Comments
Parenting is tough! With so much information being thrown at us from books, grandparents, well-meaning friends, and countless online sources, it’s not surprising we sometimes feel overwhelmed. I clearly remember my now 25-year-old son asking if he could drive 4 of his friends to the Jersey shore when he was 17. We thought, we discussed…and we worried. But in the end, we gave our permission with this rule: 5 seatbelts, 5 passengers. At some point during his trip, it came to my attention that he was returning with 6 passengers – most definitely breaking our 5-passenger rule! I won’t bore you with the details, but regardless of the loss of face in front of his friends, he was told in no uncertain terms that he would only be permitted to drive with 5 passengers in that car. Some rules are too important to break. Rules implemented to help ensure the safety of our children are definitely among them!
With that thought in mind, you’ll understand why I was surprised to read a study in February’s Pediatrics online stating that many parents are inconsistent in the use of child booster seats in vehicles while carpooling. Could it be parents are so busy that they forget important safety rules? Most parents must be aware that – when used properly – child restraints prevent injury and save lives. So I had to wonder…armed with this knowledge, why is there such inconsistency? As I read further, the study explained that while most parents do know the laws governing child restraints for younger children, many were found to be unaware of their state laws for older children – many which warrant the use of child booster seats.
All 50 states have child restraint laws. These laws vary among states based on the age, weight, and height of the child. If you will be driving with a child in your vehicle – or trusting someone else to drive your child in their vehicle – it would be a good idea to review all of the information provided by the 2012 recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) (Child Safety Seat Recommendations). The information provided here by the AAP includes:
- the appropriateness of safety seat options (rear-facing, forward-facing, booster) based on your child’s age, height, and weight
- the appropriateness of safety seat options for your particular vehicle
- available choices of manufacturers and styles of safety seats
- detailed installation information for each style of safety seat
- answers to many commonly-asked questions about car safety seats
There are a lot of things to consider when choosing the appropriate safety seat for a child – after all, it is a very important decision! Did you know that car crashes are the leading cause of death for children between the ages 3-14 in the United States? In 2009 alone, motor vehicle crashes were responsible for 1314 deaths of children under the age of 14! Herbert Hoover once said, “Children are our most valuable natural resource.” We need to do all we can to protect them. Maybe if we learn more about child vehicle safety – and then implement and/or share that knowledge – we can help reduce the number of deaths of children in motor vehicle accidents in 2012!
Is it Insurance Fraud?
Friday, January 20th, 2012 | car insurance, homeowners insurance, independent insurance agency, Insurance, Insurance Fraud | No Comments
The word fraud is used to describe deceit, trickery, or breach of confidence perpetrated for profit or to gain an unfair advantage. Add the word insurance in front of it and we are now describing a crime – a crime through which a total of 80 billion dollars per year is stolen! Insurance fraud is committed every day…and, surprisingly, hardened criminals and crime rings aren’t the only culprits. Often times, insurance fraud is committed by a neighbor, friend, or relative – the same people who would never dream of robbing a store or stealing money from someone else’s purse. And it is not a victimless crime…insurance fraud is both costly to the consumer in the form higher premiums and, when manifested as staged auto accidents and/or arson, insurance fraud can be resultant in injury or even death.
Consider the following scenarios:
While you are on vacation, your home is broken into. In order to recoup your insurance deductible you consider exaggerating what was stolen to your insurance company. You’ve paid insurance premiums for years and never put in a claim. It’s tempting…
While applying for car insurance, you consider telling your agent you live in a different location in order get a cheaper rate. Honestly, it’s only a few miles difference. It’s tempting…
Your dishwasher springs a leak and damages a section of your kitchen floor. You consider asking the repairman to pad your estimate in order to cover the deductable. It’s tempting…
While the above situations may be tempting, they are not innocent temptations. These situations constitute insurance fraud – a felony punishable in the state of Pennsylvania by up to $15,000 in fines and 7 years in prison! Let’s look a little closer at the 4 types of insurance fraud:
Automotive Insurance Fraud
- Average annual cost to insurers – $58 billion (an expense responsible for increasing consumer cost $200 annually)
- Examples: staged accidents and thefts, filing claims for pre-existing damage and false injuries, and failure to disclose an uninsured individual was driving at the time of an accident.
Health Insurance Fraud
- Average annual cost to insurers – $30 billion
- May be committed by either individual subscribers or health care providers.
- Examples: Individual subscribers may allow someone else to use his/her identity and insurance information to obtain services or use their benefits to pay for prescriptions not personally prescribed. Health care providers may bill for services not rendered the patient, bill each step of an inclusive procedure as a separate procedure, misrepresent patient diagnoses to justify expensive procedures/tests, misrepresent non-covered treatments/procedures as medical necessity, or perform unnecessary procedures/tests for financial gain.
Homeowners’ Insurance Fraud
- Average annual cost to insurers – $30 billion
- Examples: staged burglaries, fabricating supporting evidence for a claim, intentionally inflicting damage to the property for the sole purpose of filing a claim, exaggerating the extent of damage to cover deductibles, overstating the value of damaged/stolen property, and lying about the extent, cause, date or location of damages.
- Note: many policies carry a lifetime maximum – when health care providers defraud insurance companies, those expenses also impact individual subscriber benefits.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fraud
- Average annual cost to insurers – $5 billion
- May be committed by either employees or employer.
- Examples: An employee may fake an injury in the workplace, exaggerate the extent of a legitimate injury incurred at work, claim an injury incurred elsewhere occurred at work, or continue to collect benefits while concealing income from a new job. Employers may fail to carry workers’ compensation insurance, claim employees as independent contractors, lie about the nature of employees’ work to qualify/pay for lower premiums, or underestimate company payroll to reduce premium payments.
To reiterate, each type of insurance fraud described above is punishable by up to $15,000 in fines and 7 years in prison! Consider visiting the PA Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority (IFPA) website to read actual case examples and learn prevention strategies: http://www.helpstopfraud.org/TypesofInsuranceFraud/AutomotiveInsuranceFraud/tabid/66/Default.aspx
There are two keys to ensuring you don’t commit insurance fraud – knowledge and honesty. Understand what your current policies do and do not cover. Answer all questions about a claim or on applications honestly. Temptations are everywhere…only give in to innocent ones, like the chocolate 
The Truth About Multitasking
Friday, January 13th, 2012 | Community, Education, Insurance, multitasking | No Comments
I can’t multitask! And I’ll let you in on a little secret – I don’t believe humans (in general) are capable of multitasking. I think when we attempt to complete several different tasks at once, those tasks are either not completed well or not completed at all. As a former teacher, I would encourage my students to complete the task at hand before moving on to the next task. I never saw it as productive to shift focus back and forth among multiple tasks. And, as it turns out from the research I’m about to share with you, I may have been correct all along…
I have recently read several studies indicating multitasking actually hinders productivity! A Harvard Business Review post says that multitasking leads to as much as a 40% drop in productivity, increased stress, and a 10% drop in IQ (Bergman, 2010). Yesterday my son, John, sent me an article about a British study showing that people distracted by phone calls, e-mails and text messages had a greater loss of IQ than a person smoking pot! (http://articles.cnn.com/2005-04-22/world/text.iq_1_mails-iq-messages?_s=PM:WORLD)
So, given that we all have multiple tasks that need to be accomplished in a day, how can we avoid the temptation of multitasking and yet still accomplish everything we need to accomplish? Consider a few of the following habits as suggested by Leo Babauta, author of The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential…in Business and in Life (2008, p 38).
- Set your 3 MITs (Most Important Tasks) each morning.
- When you work on a task, don’t switch to other tasks.
- Check e-mail just twice a day.
- Exercise 5-10 minutes a day.
- Work while disconnected, with no distractions.
- Keep your desk decluttered.
- Stick to a 5-sentence limit for e-mails.
Well, now that my blog is written, it’s time to check my e-mail and declutter my desk…one task at a time, of course.
Keeping Our New Year’s Resolutions.
Friday, January 6th, 2012 | holiday season, independent insurance agency, Insurance, New Year's Resolution | No Comments
What better time to reflect on the potential to improve our lives than when ringing in the New Year!? With the weeks before January 1st having been filled with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, most of us have likely eaten a little more, exercised a little less, and stressed some. Then comes the inevitable question, “So, what are your resolutions for the New Year?”
Of course, while we all have good intentions when making those resolutions for the year ahead, more often than not these resolutions are broken shortly thereafter. A 2002 study conducted by the Journal of Clinical Psychology indicates 45% of Americans typically make New Year’s resolutions – 64% of which are broken by January 31st! Statistics provided by this study further indicate only 26% of resolutions are maintained past 6 months, with a mere 8% successfully remaining on track long enough to be fully-achieved (http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-12-30/health/fl-new-year-resolutions-tips-20111230_1_resolutions-personal-trainer-personal-finance-gurus).
But what if we didn’t break these traditional resolutions? What if we actually stuck with them? Think about the following common top resolutions in terms of the benefits there are to garner from actually keeping them:
- Quitting Smoking
- Immediate and long-term health benefits: lower blood pressure, improved circulation, increased lung function, decreased risk of heart attack, stroke, smoking-related cancers, and/or death. (http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts/lung_disorders/JohnsHopkinsHealthAlertsLungDisorders_577-1.html)
- Social health benefits: As contemporary society has placed more of an emphasis on health, smokers have been “edged out” of many venues. In July 2011, there were already 27 states that passed laws banning smoking in public places. (http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/19/should-smoking-be-banned-in-public/)
- Adopting a Healthier Lifestyle
- Physical health benefits: Studies suggest losing weight (and keeping it off) is more about adopting a healthier lifestyle through nutritious eating habits and exercise than “dieting”. (http://www.webmd.com/diet/default.htm)
- Social health benefits: Regular exercise optimizes physical and mental energy levels, stimulates the brain to improve mood and self-esteem, and encourages greater socialization. (http://www.livestrong.com/article/107269-importance-exercise-eating/)
The rewards of sticking to each of these resolutions are obviously well-worth the extra time, effort, and willpower it may take to stick to them! An article published earlier this week in Forbes details the following 7 tips provided by best-selling author and executive life coach Marge Worrell that may help us stick to those resolutions and accomplish our goals for the new year (http://www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2012/01/03/want-to-keep-your-new-years-resolve-the-entire-year-ahead/):
- Connect to core values.
- Be specific.
- Design a supportive environment.
- Focus on one resolution at a time.
- View failures as temporary setbacks that make your goals meaningful.
- Focus on the process rather than the goal itself.
- Do one thing every day that moves you toward your goal.
So, how about this year we all resolve to keep our New Year’s resolutions? At least long enough to skew the current statistics. 
Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas?
Friday, December 23rd, 2011 | Christmas, holiday season, independent insurance agency, Insurance, Pocono Mountains | No Comments
Ah, the “Holidays/Christmas”…such a busy time of the year! With all the baking, decorating, shopping and wrapping, it would seem almost impossible to get it all done AND fit in the annual holiday parties – yet, somehow we do! It was at one of those holiday parties this past weekend that an acquaintance posed the question, “What do you say when someone wishes you ‘Happy Holidays’ instead of ‘Merry Christmas’?” I thought to myself, “I really never thought about it. What should I say?” Before I could say anything, she answered her own question – “I let them know I am insulted with their political correctness. After all, Jesus is the reason for this season.”
While I agree the birth of Jesus is the reason we celebrate Christmas, the “holiday season” in the United States is generally considered to run from late November through early January – with at least 10 major holidays to be found on the calendar during that time frame. Beginning with the celebration of the Islamic New Year 2011 (Muharram) and continuing through the Christian Epiphany on January 6th, it appears most major religions – including Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, and African/Interfaith – celebrate something during the “holiday season”. And then, of course, there are the secular holidays – like New Year’s and Festivus – that are celebrated during the “holiday season” as well. (Yes, held on December 23rd, Festivus is a real secular day of celebration ~not just a Seinfeld storyline! It was created in 1966 by Daniel O’Keefe.)
Maybe knowing there are many religions celebrating their faith during the “holiday season”, someone wishing you ‘Happy Holidays’ isn’t necessarily trying to be politically correct, but rather trying not to be presumptuous. I guess I have to wonder…with all there is to be concerned with here in the United States – recession! gas prices! crime rates! – why is this particular distinction such a hotly-debated topic? So, how do I answer the question, “What do I say when someone wishes me ‘Happy Holidays’ instead of ‘Merry Christmas’?” I guess I say the same thing I would say if someone wishes me ‘Merry Christmas’, ‘Season’s Greetings’ or even ‘Happy Chanukah’, “Thanks! And the same to you! Enjoy the season!”
Practice Driving Etiquette
Friday, December 16th, 2011 | car insurance, distracted driving, highway driving, independent insurance agency, Insurance | 1 Comment
Today it happened…again! I was on an acceleration ramp for Interstate 80 when the car in front of me came to a full stop before merging onto the highway due to heavy traffic. So, of course, I stopped behind her to wait my turn. When the traffic finally let up enough for the car in front of me to begin to merge out, the impatient driver behind me drove around both our cars to enter the highway before us! I understand – ideally – the purpose of the acceleration lane is to help us merge into traffic while accelerating to highway speed. However, the cars on the highway have the right of way; sometimes, we need to yield to traffic by coming to a complete stop before merging onto the highway.
Improper merging is one of my 3 pet peeves when it comes to driving – tailgating and traffic not using both lanes to a merge point are the other 2. I have to wonder if these behaviors simply reflect a lack of driving etiquette or if we are really unaware of certain driving safety rules? I decided to do a little research to determine what – if any – are the safety rules about these pet peeves of mine…
1. Entering Highway via acceleration ramp. (according to the PA DMV)\
- Put on your turn signal and find an opening in the traffic.
- Accelerate to the speed of the traffic.
- Merge into the opening in the traffic.
- it is illegal to pass a vehicle ahead of you in an acceleration lane.
2. Tailgating
- Following too closely may not give you enough time to react to a problem.
- Use the 4 second rule
- Watch the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead of you.
- When the bumper passes a roadside object like a telephone pole, start counting how many seconds it takes you to reach the same spot on the road.
- If you pass the marking or object in less than 4 seconds, you are following too closely.
- A “Following too closely” violation comes with a cost of about $200 and 3 points on your license.
3. Merging from 2 lanes into one lane
- There is no specific law or rule for one proper technique, suggesting merging behavior in this case is a matter of driver etiquette.
- An official announcement from Penn-DOT reminds “motorists approaching lane- restricted highway work zones to use all open lanes to the merge point. Please be courteous to other motorists and allow them to merge. The effectiveness of traffic flow in highway work zones is highly dependent on driver behavior. Using all lanes and allowing a consistent, courteous merge will reduce congestion and delay and help traffic move smoothly and safely through the work zone.”
Especially at this time of year, when we all tend to be rushing a little more than usual, it is important to remember driving comes with inherent risks. We can greatly minimize those risks for ourselves and others by remembering to follow our safe driving rules and by exercising some patience and respect for our fellow drivers.
Have Yourself a Safe Holiday Season
Friday, December 2nd, 2011 | Christmas Fire Hazard, home maintenance, independent insurance agency, Insurance | No Comments
As I was getting my holiday decorations down from the attic this week, I had Christmas songs playing – songs like White Christmas, I’ll be home for Christmas, Jingle Bells, and Check All Your Christmas Decorations for Fire Hazards. Oh, okay… “Check all Your Christmas Decorations for Fire Hazards” isn’t really a song – but maybe it should be! While candles, wreaths, lights, and trees can certainly “help to make the season bright”, those same decorations can cause fires when improperly used or maintained. Did you know there are more than 400 fires annually attributed to holiday decorations? Those fires are responsible for an average 21 deaths, 43 injuries, and over $25 million in property damages every year.
Heeding several safety tips to minimize potential fire hazards in your home can help to ensure your holiday season is both festive and safe.
9 Tips for a Happy and Safe Holiday Season
- Never leave candles burning unattended. Make certain candles are in non-flammable containers that are set away from Christmas trees, trimmings, and wrapping paper. Better yet – use flameless candles!
- Position your Christmas tree away from heat sources such as fireplaces and radiators.
- Be sure to keep your tree well-watered – a dry tree can catch fire and that fire can engulf a family room in less than 40 seconds. (http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/media/drytreefire/tree_fire.mpeg)
- Before starting a fire, be sure the flue is open and that you have removed all greens and decorations from the fireplace area.
- Only use Christmas lights that have been tested and have the U.L. (Underwriters Laboratories) seal of approval.
- Do NOT use any strands of Christmas lights with frays, broken sockets, bare wires, or loose connections.
- Turn off all Christmas lights before going to bed.
- Do not overload extension cords.
- Do not leave pots on the stove unattended.
Follow these few simple tips as you “Deck the Halls” and – instead of letting those potential fire hazards lead to a “Blue Christmas” – you’ll be able to “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
Being Grateful at Thanksgiving and More.
Friday, November 18th, 2011 | charitable organizations, Community, independent insurance agency, Insurance, Pocono Mountains | No Comments
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! It is the one holiday my family stays home and has everyone come to us. I think of it as my “NO” holiday – no presents to buy or wrap, no church clothes, no rushing, no worrying – just family, friends, food…and wine. Every year I think about how grateful I am to enjoy this holiday to the fullest – having our family close, healthy, and fortunate enough to put food on the table. And this year, as every year, I also find myself thinking about those who aren’t as fortunate…and I realize it may not be enough to just be grateful.
Tough economic times mean the organizations that serve to help people in need are also finding themselves in greater need of assistance. An increased number of people seeking donations has tapped supplies at many food pantries, and decreased donations mean those supplies are not being readily replenished. The food pantry operator for the St. Vincent DePaul Society in Berlin, Dennis Chang, says he has never seen their pantry in such need – “The shelves are nearly empty and the lines are getting longer” (http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/local_news/tough-times-for-local-food-banks).
Kendall Hanna, the executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, says demand has spiked an overwhelming 50-75% in recent years across the 600 mid-state pantries they support. This demand is not expected to decline as we continue to see cuts in government support and rising food prices. Hanna explains one-third of the people who seek assistance from food pantries fall “just above the income eligibility limits for federal and state assistance programs and yet below a sustainable wage” (http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/04/central_pennsylvania_food_bank_3.html). The central food bank in Susquehanna Township is currently facilitating expansion plans to increase storage space, thereby maximizing their local distribution potential. Hanna credits volunteer groups with aiding in the success of the food bank and claims the expansion project will improve their experience as well.
I have always thought it was a great idea to donate to local food pantries, knowing those donations would help provide for people in our local community. Obviously, now more than ever, they are in need of our help. And, though it’s important to remember food banks and pantries operate throughout the year – not just during the holiday season – wouldn’t now be a great time to start contributing?
To find donation locations in Monroe County, or opportunities to volunteer, please visit http://poconoinfo.communityos.org/cms/node/24. Let’s help make this a Happy Thanksgiving for everyone!
5 Uses for Technology in Creating a Home Inventory.
Friday, October 21st, 2011 | home maintenance, homeowners insurance, independent insurance agency, Insurance | No Comments
“Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.” This famous quote by American author, Ernestine Ulmer, always makes me smile. What a clever way to remind us to appreciate and live every moment! The truth is, we can’t predict everything that may happen in our lives – and, no matter how careful we are, or how much planning we do, we can’t actually prevent those uncertainties from befalling us in life.
Although we hope we never have to deal with such unfortunate events as fire, theft, or damage from violent weather and/or natural disasters, protecting ourselves with insurance is a wonderful proactive step that we can take to lessen their consequent impact on our lives. The best way to ensure your ability to give the insurance company a complete list of your belongings – should the unthinkable happen – is to create a home inventory BEFORE disaster strikes. Think about your possessions, then take a walk around your home and actually look at them…you will find more than you first remembered! A precise inventory, complete with proof of ownership at the time of a loss, can make your claims quicker and easier; without such an inventory, important details may be forgotten.
The thought of creating a home inventory may be daunting, but current technology offers several helpful options. Below are 5 suggestions that will make the task of creating a home inventory a little less overwhelming:
1. Video Recording:
-Walk through the house, recording all the contents of each room.
-Dictate information about each item as you record; film serial numbers and brand
names.
-Keep item receipts with the recording.
2. Online Inventory Software:
-Software will walk you through the creation of an inventory.
-Information is stored on-line, making it accessible from anywhere.
-The Insurance Information Institute has free software available:
http://www.knowyourstuff.org/iii/login.html
3. Smart Phone Apps:
-For iPhone users: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/home-inventory/id326667907?mt=8
-For Android users:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.accesslane.myhome&feature=search_result
4. Personal Computer:
-Create a spreadsheet detailing your belongings. Be sure to include:
~Description
~Date of Purchase
~Place of Purchase
~Warranty Information
~Purchase Price
~Condition
~Estimated Value
~Model # and Serial #
~Photograph
~Notes
-Use one of the many available PC Home Inventory software programs.
5. Consult an Insurance Website to Print a Traditional, Old-Fashioned “Checklist”
http://www.erieinsurance.com/homeowners/HouseholdInventory.pdf
Whichever procedure you choose to create your home inventory, be sure to keep an updated copy printed and secured in a place off-site. True, this may be a time-consuming task, but it will be time well-spent should one of life’s uncertainties happen to you! And, if just this one time, it may be advisable to save that dessert until we’ve finished preparing for at least some of those uncertainties in life…it may taste that much sweeter!