When water freezes it expands and if it expands enough, it can cause a pipe to burst. What most people don’t realize, however, is that a pipe doesn’t generally burst in the place where ice forms in the pipe. The ice expansion inside of the pipe causes pressure to increase between the ice blockage and the faucet. Once enough pressure builds, the pipe may burst, which in some cases, can result in a great deal of water damage in the home. To avoid this type of damage, it is best to be proactive and prevent pipes from freezing in the first place.
The following helpful tips can save you trouble, aggravation, and financial burden of frozen pipes:
In the midst of the festive and hectic holiday atmosphere, it is easy to forget the serious responsibility involved with hosting a party at your home or business. In many states, individuals and employers hosting holiday parties can be held liable in cases where a guest or third party is injured in an accident related to alcohol consumption at your event. Hosts have been held responsible for medical bills, vehicle repair costs, lost time from work, and even wrongful death. Jon Jepsen, a Trusted Choice® independent insurance agent at SentryWest Insurance, recommends that those planning to host holiday parties this year review their homeowners,renter’s or comprehensive general liability (CGL) insurance policy and ensure they have adequate liability coverage if sued and found liable for the actions of a guest who drank at their home or business.
While all holiday partygoers and hosts alike should be responsible and know their limits, consumers need to acknowledge that most risks cannot be eliminated entirely. But planning ahead and learning about what’s involved in hosting a reception is the best defense. Liability Coverage Tips:
Party Host Safety Tips:
That’s a question every consumer asks from time to time. Everyone is curious and concerned as to whether he or she is getting a good value for the money, whether it’s for a candy bar, a car or an airline ticket.
It’s a good question to ask about insurance, too. After all, Americans spend a lot of money on insurance for homes, autos and businesses. In 2008, American drivers spent $161 billion for personal automobile insurance, reported the A.M. Best Co., an insurance research and ratings firm. This large market for auto insurance is highly competitive. Consumers play a large part in keeping insurance rates competitive by virtue of shopping—whether online, by telephone or on the World Wide Web. More than one of four (about 28 percent) of auto insurance buyers shopped around for car insurance in 2009, reported J.D. Power & Associates in its 2009 national auto insurance study. But consumers aren’t the only ones shopping around for auto insurance. So too do independent insurance agents, including Trusted Choice® insurance professionals. On average, Trusted Choice® insurance professionals provide consumers with property/casualty insurance options from eight different insurance carriers, reported the 2008 agency universe study conducted by Future One, a collaboration of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (the Big “I”) and leading independent agency companies. For automobile insurance, those agents may compare rates and coverages at even more insurance companies, through their use of software that allows them to compare multiple policies and multiple carriers. For auto insurance buyers, research showed that independent agents rank most highly on the most important element of customer satisfaction. The J.D. Power study measures customer satisfaction with auto insurance companies across five factors (in order of importance): interaction, policy offerings, billing and payment, price and claims. Insurers who sell their auto insurance products through agents performed “stronger in the interaction factor than do direct insurers,” reported J.D. Power. Overall, customer satisfaction with auto insurance companies reached a five-year high in 2009, reported the J.D. Power study. The biggest improvement in satisfaction among the five factors has been in price. Interestingly, 42 percent of customers in 2009 reported that their auto insurance premiums declined without switching insurers. Are you overpaying for auto insurance? Thanks to a competitive market that includes Trusted Choice® insurance professionals, the answer probably is no. If you’re not sure, ask Jon Jepsen at SentryWest (a Trusted Choice® insurance professional) to review your options. |
AuthorJonny Jepsen, CIC Categories
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