Winterizing Your Vehicle

Storage
Do you have a car that isn’t a daily driver? Do you store your vehicle? By storing your vehicle for the winter, you can save normal wear and tear, plus reduce exposure to winter elements such as salts, slush and cold.
Even in storage, every state requires that registered cars maintain auto insurance. There are many options.

• -Comprehensive coverage provides coverage for your vehicle while you are storing it against damage caused while it is being stored. Hazards could include fire, falling trees, vandalism, theft, hail, flood, or other natural disasters. It does not protect your parked vehicle against damage from a hit and run accident.
• -Reduced mile coverage is a reduction of your current insurance based on a new mileage calculation, ultimately saving a few hundred dollars.
• -Collision coverage protects you from losses resulting from damage to your vehicle due to a collision with another object.
• -Property damage pays for the at-fault driver’s insurance policy, if you know who hit your vehicle.

While there are numerous levels of coverage available, the best way to fully protect your vehicle is to maintain comprehensive and collision coverage on all vehicles. Please call Jones Insurance & Associates to explore your options.

Tires
How can we protect our daily drivers? One minor adjustment to your current vehicle could increase your safety this winter. New tires will have more grip due to longer tread. But also consider different types of tires. Winter tires are available for all vehicles—compacts, sedans, SUVs, etc. Winter tires aren’t just superior in the snow: They are designed to grip cold pavement whether it is dry, slushy, snow or ice-covered.

Considering Vehicle Options
Want four-wheel drive without the cost and size of an SUV? Four-wheel drive vehicles aren’t just big trucks and Jeeps. There are dozens of sedan options that are all wheel drive—Subarus, Audis, Chrysler 300, BMWs, Mercedes, Infiniti Q50 and Volvo S60, to name a few. If you are considering purchasing a new vehicle, get a free quote started online at JonesInsured.com. 

Melinda Warren
Jones Insurance & Associates Contributor

Fall Checklist

The kids are back in school and the next holiday is several weeks away, freeing time to brush up our homes and vehicles before winter. On average, last winter was colder and with more snowfall than previous years. You won’t want to be stuck doing these things this winter! Here are a few places to start brushing up this month.

Preventing Water Damage

• Clean gutters and downspouts
  Debris build-up can clog the drainage system, causing water to drain near your foundation. Standard homeowner’s policies do not cover water damage caused by repeated, unattended drainage problems.
• Sump Pump
  When water seeps into the ground under your home, water enters the sump pump and is pumped out away from your home.  Test your system by pouring a bucket of water into the pit to make sure the pump starts automatically and the water drains quickly once the pump is on. Also, make sure you have a battery backup
• Roof
  
  Do you have any strategically placed buckets around the house? Inspect your roof for damage or leaky vents. A leaking roof can lead to health issues and structural damage. Basic homeowner’s policies do not cover water damage caused by continuous water seepage or leakage. If you’re unsure about your water or mold coverage, contact Jones Insurance & Associates for further assistance. 
• Winterize PipesDrain outdoor hoses, faucets and irrigation systems. Some types of sudden and accidental water incidents, including burst pipes, may be covered by your policy. However, there are many preventative measures that can be taken. Additionally, coverage for mold resulting from this damage is usually excluded.

Immaculate Interior

• Smoke Detectors
  "I change the batteries in my smoke detectors every six months," said Jayson Jones of Jones Insurance & Associates. Jones highly recommends testing your smoke detectors often. But, not only that--age them! The lifespan of a smoke detector is 10 years.
• Windows
  For now, love the fresh autumn air. When winter comes, we will want a tightly sealed interior. Seal around windows and doors with weather-stripping and caulk to keep your heat up and energy bill down.
• Furnace Filter/Fireplace
  A clean filter works easier, better, and minimizes your bill. If unattended, clogged filters can cause a fire. Experts recommend cleaning your filter every one to three months depending on the type.

Excellent Exterior

• Pavement
  Repair damaged sidewalks, driveways and steps. As a property owner, you can be liable if a person is injured as a result of a hazardous condition on your property. Review your homeowner's liability coverage for more information.
• Trim Trees
  Monitor the health of trees and limbs in your yard. If any limbs look like they could fall, trim them now so they don’t collapse under snow and ice. For futher explanations of legal liability and what damage insurance may cover, refer to your homeowner's policy or contact Jones Insurance & Associates.

On the Go

• Clean your car’s interior.
• Want a newer vehicle for winter, maybe with four-wheel-drive? Before your purchase, reach out to Jones Insurance & Associates for a free quote!

Melinda Warren
Jones Insurance & Associates Contributor

Time to Get Organized

Have you done your Spring Cleaning yet? It's time to get organized! April is National Record and Information Management Month. The goal is to emphasize the importance of organization and backup records. This can also protect us from loss or theft of personal information.

• Document Protection
• Keep it Private, Confidential and Secure
• Have a Disaster Recovery Plan
• Retention of Records
• You should keep all tax documents, policies, etc for a minimum of three years. According to numerous consumer websites, three to seven years is safe, with ten years being on the high end.

• 

  LCRI.net

  You only need to keep bank statements and bills for an extended period of time if they directly pertain to your taxes.
• Retirement statements should be kept until you begin taking contributions.
• Investment statements should be kept as long as you have the investment.
• For more information, visit the IRS website.
• Proper Document Destruction
• Make sure you shred all documents when discarding. This protects your credit identity.
• Transparency
• Make sure your documentation is clear and concise. This will minimize confusion later if you have to go back and read your notes.

One great option that provides all of the above is a fireproof safe or lockbox with a random code.

Jayson Jones, Jones Insurance & Associates, suggests videotaping contents in your home. “In the event of a claim, we have to be able to prove ownership. Most of us don’t keep receipts of things very well,” said Jones. “Then, keep the video off-site; at work, a family member’s home, or in a lockbox so the tape is not lost in the fire or tornado.”

• Benefits of Videotaping:
•    Cuts down on time spent hand writing inventory of your personal property.
•   Captures the serial numbers on electronics to tell the insurance company exactly what they need to replace.
•   Captures more detail via vocal descriptions, such as where a product was purchased.
•  Increases the items captured. Some people will only take photos of what they think to be important, but video will capture everything in the room.

 “Even though the trash can may only be $12.00 to replace, I want to be able to help people get back the stuff they had, and a bunch of little $12.00 things add up,” said Jones.

Jones says he does have a video camera in his office for his clients to use for free.

Melinda Warren
Jones Insurance & Associates Contributor

Covering Personal Belongings: Homeowners Insurance Options

Valentine’s Day is approaching, which means jewelry is on the minds of many women (and some men). The average cost of an engagement ring in 2013 was $5,200.  This is about the equivalent of a 65-inch LCD flatscreen TV.  Do you have insurance to cover your belongings?  What all does that insurance cover?  Protect your investments.

Homeowner’s insurance policies in Iowa average several hundred dollars per year, according to the latest data available from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. To make sure you are getting the biggest bang for your buck, Jones Insurance and Associates needs your help.

We need you to take initiative to weigh your personal options.  If you have a lot of stuff, and you care about the financial value of your stuff, take inventory and formulate a plan.

Consider, for example, Helzberg Diamond’s Lifetime Care Policy. Their plan offers free repairs with the cost of the plan, but does not cover loss, theft or Acts of God (a natural disaster or other event for which no one can be held responsible).   The plan requires checkups every six months and the item cannot be serviced by any store other than Helzberg Diamonds.  The cost of the plan is based on price of item—a few hundred dollars for that engagement ring.  While this may be an excellent care plan for someone who has time and effort to maintain their possessions, this is not insurance.  Some of us don’t even go to the doctor regularly to take care of ourselves – will we truly have a ring serviced every six months?

• Basic Home Insurance

Obtaining personal belonging coverage under your homeowners insurance is less demanding.  The only upkeep required is to make sure your policy is updated, and to continue your normal coverage process.  Basic home insurance covers your home and personal property from damage caused by things like fire, wind, explosions, vehicles, theft, vandalism and a slew of other occurrences.

Unlike a jewelry store care policy, homeowners insurance does cover loss, theft and some Acts of God.

• Beyond Basic Home Insurance

TYPE	COST	PAY	DETAILS
Replacement Cost Coverage	Higher premium	Higher pay	Payout would cover what it costs to buy the item again at new value.
Actual Cash Value Coverage	Lower premium	Lower pay	Payout would be the depreciated value of the item.
Scheduled Personal Property	Higher premium	Highest pay	Each item is added separately. There may be a $1,000 limit per piece of jewelry. If the engagement ring was appraised at $5,200, this would cover that specific ring at a higher amount.

• Don’t Own Your Home?

If you don’t own your home, don’t worry! Renters Insurance also covers personal belongings. To read more about renters insurance, click here.

Melinda Warren
Jones Insurance & Associates Contributor

Resources

http://www.businessinsider.com/what-it-really-costs-to-get-married-the-knot-wedding-channel-2013-3
http://www.weddingstats.org/average-cost-of-an-engagement-ring.html

Alcohol Consumption in an Iowa Home

Super Bowl Sunday is more than just a small get-together – about 50 million cases of beer were sold for the event last year. Some people take Monday off, perhaps recovering from consuming excessive food and alcohol.

There can be legal liability of over-serving alcohol in an Iowa home because Iowa does have a social host liability doctrine. In the past, the court has said that the consumption of alcoholic beverages causes accidents, not serving the alcohol. However, the problem that arises is not always the verdict, but the cost of defending the lawsuit.

Potential Criminal/Civil Liability
In Iowa, the court generally says that the able-bodied adult who consumed the alcohol is

responsible for their own actions. However, if a host continues to serve a person who is visibly intoxicated, and the court finds the host acted in a reckless manner, they could be held responsible. Criminal charges could range from vehicular homicide to damages done to personal property. The court also recognizes that an adult is responsible for their own actions in civil suits. However, if it can be argued that the host was reckless in serving the guest too much alcohol, there is no law stating the guest can’t sue you for his or her injuries. Other people injured in accidents can also sue you for their injuries or damages sustained.

Major Risk – Insurance Liability 

The major risk area is when the intoxicated person has no insurance to cover their accidents. In this case, the third party will sue you to cover the costs.
Liability insurance protects the insured person if he or she is sued for claims that come within the coverage of the insurance policy.

Protection

The only pure protection possible is to remove all liability by removing alcohol from the scene, but this might be going overboard. Plus, this might not even be possible when getting a large or eclectic group together.
So, the best solution is a combination of reducing risk and amplifying protection. You can remove risk by ensuring you aren’t acting in a reckless manner by over-serving guests who are visibly intoxicated. Let your insurance provider give you some peace of mind by ensuring you that you have the best coverage possible. One excellent option is umbrella insurance, which provides coverage above your basic homeowners or automobile policy. Read more about umbrella insurance here.

Melinda Warren
Jones Insurance & Associates Contributor


Resources

http://criminal.lawyers.com/DUI-DWI/Social-Host-Alcohol-Liability.html
http://www.lucaslaw.com/blog/index.php/are-you-legally-liable-for-serving-alcohol-to-guests/
http://www.attorneys.com/dui-dwi/social-host-alcohol-liability/
http://www.lamarcalandry.com/articles/social-host-liability/
http://socialhostliability.org/NHTSA/Iowa.pdf
http://www.boston.com/business/2013/02/04/super-bowl-generates-super-revenues/nVcWh1EiSxXjWy273RvHxO/story.html

Trick-Or-Treat Safety

On Trick-or-Treat nights around Iowa, increased pedestrian and vehicle traffic paired with weather changes and the distractions of costumes and candy can lead to more accidents. State health departments report that pedestrian-vehicle accidents are four times more likely to occur during Trick-or-Treat nights.  For the most part, general liability homeowners insurance will provide defense coverage for bodily injury or property damage for your negligence.  But, how can we stay safe on the streets? Here are a few simple precautions to stay safe.

v  Decorations

Use flameless candles and keep decorations away from lights that may get hot.

v  Lighting

Keep your property well-lit.

v  Move obstacles

These could be ordinary tripping hazards like a garden hose or tree roots. If you have a chip in the pavement, consider placing a pumpkin or hay bail on top of that area to redirect traffic. Clear your sidewalks of snow or leaves.

HalloweenCostumes.com

v  Secure your pets

Your pouch may be cuddly with you, but you never know what demeanor could trip their trigger. Keep pets away from people for the protection of the animal and visitors. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), more than one-third of all liability claims paid in 2012 by homeowners insurance companies were the result of dog bites, totaling $479 million.  Check with your agent to make sure your dog is covered under your homeowner’s policy.

v  Costume Choice

Think warm, trip-reducing, and light-weight with minimal accessories.

v  Inspect your candy to make sure it is individually wrapped

•      Comprehensive Auto Insurance

Trick-or-Treat night can give citizens a wild hair.  The good news: Vandalism to your car is covered by your comprehensive auto insurance.

“I would say most people have a $250 or $500 deductible for comprehensive on the auto policy.  As to whether a client files a claim is totally up to them and each person is different.  I think insurance is to be used for the ‘catastrophic’ times when it will put us in a financial hardship and not just because we have it,” says Jayson Jones of Jones Insurance and Associates.

People may consider filing a claim worthwhile if they receive estimates for damage repair that are more costly than they would want to pay out of pocket.

Melinda Warren
Jones Insurance & Associates Contributor

Deer & Drivers in Iowa

The number of deer killed on rural highways increased by about 5 percent in 2011, according to the Iowa DNR’s Trends in Iowa Wildlife Populations and Harvest, published October 2012.

State Farm Insurance recently released an annual study concluding that the odds that an individual driver in the United States will crash into a deer during the next year have declined by 4.3 percent.

However, Iowa moves up one spot to third, meaning 1 in 73 drivers are projected to hit a deer this year.  To read more on these annual reports, visit the links below.

Double check with your insurance provider to make sure your current auto insurance policy would cover damage sustained from deer-vehicle accidents.

The DNR reports that it uses four methods to trend deer populations in Iowa, including aerial surveys, spotlight surveys, a record of the number of deer killed on Iowa's rural highways throughout the year coupled with annual highway use estimates, and the bowhunter observation

Survey.  The DNR reports that deer populations in Iowa seem to be decreasing overall, but could just be shifting population densities to different counties and so on. To counter the efficiency of deer reproduction, the DNR implements a certain number of deer that can be harvested per year.  The reported kill for the 2011 through 2012 season was 121,407—about 4.5 percent lower than in 2010.

Although difficult to obtain an average estimate for deer-vehicle collisions, the most common reported damage costs between $1,000 and $3,000.  The annual DNR report states that deer are adaptable and will roam many different types of habitats as long as the area provides adequate cover. Examples of these types of areas include brushy areas, marshes, grassy areas and standing corn. Drive especially careful in these areas.

• Additional Resources

DNR trending report
KCCI review of annual State Farm report
State Farm press release 2012 annual report
KCCI article woman hits deer

Melinda Warren
Jones Insurance & Associates Contributor