Arizona Insurance Blog

Can you believe how quickly the holidays are flying by? Seems like we were just writing about Halloween. Thanksgiving came and went, and now we’re on to Christmas. Crazy! But holidays are all about celebrating. And how are you supposed to celebrate when disaster strikes? So we just want you to be aware of some of the dangers you could be facing during Hanukkah or Christmas.

Here are a few (though certainly not all of them):

Fire Danger – you can figure out the basic dangers…dry Christmas trees going up in flames, candles lighting curtains or furniture on fire. But what about those hidden fire dangers that damage your home and make you grateful you have insurance?

What about the cords that you stretch clear across the floor (you know, as you check to make sure everything works)? Then there is the danger of an oven fire if you were to spill the juice off your turkey or ham. Or perhaps you forget there’s something in the oven. And according to ABC news, chimney fires are on the rise.

No one wants to spend their special day calling their insurance company about fire damage. So be careful.

Break Ins – how tempting is a house full of gifts. New electronics. Perhaps jewelry. And all the other gifts you might buy for the holidays. It’s tempting. And during the holidays, you are likely to be out a lot more. Make sure your windows and doors stay locked. Set your alarms if you’ve got them. And avoid bragging about the expensive things you bought or received.

Although your home insurance should cover any losses, you may not have taken the time to document the new purchases. And who wants to wake up to a Christmas without presents?

Driving Hazards – you wake up early Christmas morning, eat a big holiday meal, and then drive home or to mom and dad’s. You’re tired, full, and probably getting an earful of noise from your children playing with their new toys. Be careful. You’re not in the best of driving conditions. Furthermore, if you’ve had anything at all to drink – stay off the roads!

Nothing is more devastating on the holidays than winding up in the emergency room. Or, worse yet, losing a loved one. Remember, your car insurance can only fix your car. It can’t erase the damage to individuals. And the police won’t thank you for having to write an accident report on Christmas Day.

More than anything, we want you to enjoy safe and happy holidays. If you give us a single thought…well, let’s just hope it’s only because we sent you a holiday greeting card in the mail.

Watching television the other night, I saw a commercial that interested me. It was a plea to consumers to buy at least one thing from a small business this holiday. With just 30 seconds of play time, the commercial couldn’t describe the struggles small businesses are going through…but obviously things could be better.

When the recession hit, businesses everywhere started shutting their doors. But it’s not just the recession that business owners need to worry about. Anything and everything can happen to a small business. Which is why we offer business insurance.

Many service businesses have already invested in business insurance. You see their workers driving around in trucks with this message painted on the side, “Licensed, bonded, and insured”. But what happens to other businesses when a natural disaster hits, they face a lawsuit, or an employee gets injured?

For companies just starting out, business insurance may be way down on the list of “Things we’d like to invest in.” However, tragedy is not going to wait for you to make more money before it strikes. If you’re going to own a business then it’s worth it to protect that company.

If you don’t have business insurance, then it’s time you call our office. At Bennett and Porter, we look at all aspects of your business and then help you determine the best business insurance package for you.

There are a million things you should be doing to keep your business risks low:

• Keep a physical address locked up and protected by a security system
• Get all “deals” in writing
• Carefully enter partnerships – if you do at all
• Sell more than you buy

But when it comes right down to it, business insurance is your best investment for long-term stability.

Let us know how we can help you and your business.

It’s the most dangerous holiday of the year for drivers. As a traditional family holiday, people sometimes drive several hours to eat a good meal with their loved ones. Then, after consuming large amounts of turkey dinner and a few glasses of…well, whatever, they start the journey home.

Between the rush to get back home (so they can work the next day), the exhaustion of a long day, too much food, and possibly kids screaming in the background, you can understand why Thanksgiving produces some of the most dangerous drivers.

But guess what? Dangerous road conditions are not the only thing that may put you, your family, and your friends in jeopardy. Here are some things you can do this Thanksgiving to keep yourself safe:

1. Plan Ahead – If you are making a long trip to see loved ones, plan to get plenty of rest before heading back out on the road again. If you need to get home on Thursday night, then plan to eat an earlier dinner and then get a power nap in before hitting the road. Or, plan a meal that’s not quite as rich in sugars and heavy foods. That way you won’t be as drowsy as you drive.

2. Keep on Eye on the Food – No one wants a burnt turkey. But more than that, accidents happen when you’re cooking. And when you’re cooking an entire table full of food it’s even more precarious. In fact, the Red Cross says there are more than double the number of cooking fires on Thanksgiving than happen on a regular day. Keep a close eye on hot oil, boiling pots, and crock pots that might be sitting too close to flammable materials (like paper plates and cups). You need to protect yourself from getting hurt and your home from experiencing any accidental burns.

3. Get a Designated Driver – If you know you’ll be having holiday spirits at your Thanksgiving feast, then take a minute and designate a driver. It’s something you plan for on New Year’s and for other important celebrations. Why wouldn’t you do the same for this holiday?

4. Check Your Home Afterwards – In preparation for guests, you might light a few candles or plug in aromatic scents. Be sure to walk through your home after your guests leave and blow out candles or unplug anything you don’t usually leave plugged in. Plus, if you had children at your home, check under beds and in unusual places for any dangers they may have left waiting for you.

5. Keep Windows and Doors Locked – Recently, I was listening to the news when it said that more homes are robbed during the fall months. Why? Because that’s when temperatures cool down and people are more likely to open their windows and doors. Well, as you’re cooking, you’ll likely open a few windows of your own. Just make sure that when the meal is over, the windows are closed and locked again.

As an insurance company, we want to make sure you stay safe during the holidays. You have insurance to manage all those unexpected events in life. But how much better off would you be if you never needed to make any claims? Keep yourself safe this holiday season by making good choices and staying aware of the dangers around you.

Halloween is right around the corner. And whether you are the love-to-dress-up kind or the kind that prefers to go as “yourself” to Halloween parties, you’re going to see a lot of costumes in the next week.

This week, we thought it would be fun to speculate on some of our favorite characters. Who needs what insurance? And how much coverage would they need? If you think of a few more, please be sure to add your comments to this list.

Batman – As alter ego Bruce Wayne, the man has a ton of money. So it may not seem that he needs insurance. But, having a lot of money also makes him a target. So he’s going to need home insurance to the tune of a couple million (both for the house and the person who wants to sue him for getting hurt on his property). All those vintage cars need to be insured. And, of course, the Batmobile is going to need to be covered up to a million dollars or more. We can’t think of anyone who is going to need more car insurance, can you?

Transformers – Big the last two years, Transformers may be out of the Halloween running this year. But since they live most their time as cars, they’re going to need auto insurance that combines with medical. Right?

Pirate – Always big at Halloween, you’re sure to run into a few pirates this year. For the captain, there needs to be insurance on his ship. For the whole crew…well, someone needs to insure the booty. If any of them own houses, they can wrap their personal belongings (booty included) in with their home insurance.

Princess – Big or small, you’re going to see a handful of princesses. Though her personal affects are undoubtedly insured by her father, each princess might be expected to provide insurance for her own pumpkin carriage.

Wizards – whether it’s a student at Hogwarts, or a more traditional blue robe, long beard costume, we’re looking forward to the wizards’ costumes. So, what kind of insurance does a wizard need? Well, whether you’re running away from Lord Voldemort or as old as Merlin, we’re going to suggest life insurance.

There are hundreds of costumes headed your way this next week. Pay attention and then come back to the site and let us know what type of insurance the characters you see are going to need.

If you haven’t taken the time to talk to a Bennett and Porter insurance agent, squeeze it in between now and Halloween. High insurance rates or bad coverage can be spooky for anybody.

Can you believe the holidays are just right around the corner? Yeah, neither can we. But while we look forward to holiday parties, good food, and lots of fun, this is the time of year when tragedy strikes most – causing your Arizona insurance rates to skyrocket. For example, more car accidents happen on holidays than any other days of the year.

Over the next few months, we’re going to give you all kinds of safety tips to keep you safe and save you from having to file an AZ insurance claim. A lot of these are no-brainers. But that doesn’t mean you can ignore them. It’s always a good idea to remind yourself of some of the basics. So…what do you need to remember about Halloween?

1) Be extra careful before, on, and after the 31^st. Even though Halloween only lasts a single day, the parties, trick-or-treating, and other events could take place for several days before and after – especially when Halloween is on a school night.

2) Plan to drive slowly through neighborhoods and watch for children, smashed pumpkins and debris in the road. After all, your AZ auto insurance may not take kindly to the claim that “a jack-o-lantern came out of nowhere.”

3) Keep an eye on the candles. Jack-o-lanterns, though fun, pose a risk to your house…and by extension your AZ home insurance. Only light candles when you plan to be home. And be sure to blow them out before going to bed.

4) Make sure all windows and doors are locked. Sure, most Arizona home insurance policies cover theft, but do you really want to risk it? With thousands of ghosts and goblins wandering the streets (and the parents out with them), it is far too easy for someone to break into your home unnoticed. Even if someone is home, keep everything shut and locked.

5) Send your children out with flashlights. When children are dressed up in costume – especially dark costumes – they are difficult for drivers to see. Flashlights or glow sticks minimize your child’s risks and can make you feel a little safer as a parent.

The best insurance is always the insurance you don’t have to use. But when the holidays creep up, so do the dangers. The last thing you want to be doing this time of year is filing an insurance claim. By remembering a few small details about the holiday, you can keep yourself protected and have an enjoyable time.

If your car, house, or you are not covered by insurance, now is a good time to talk to one of the agents at Bennett and Porter. We can get you signed up before the holidays start and get you on the path to a great year end.

Did you know, insurance companies don’t just come up with arbitrary numbers for your insurance premiums. Nor do they offer everyone the same insurance policy. Nope. Much like financial lenders, insurance companies assess your risk (as a client) based on your insurance score.

Never heard of insurance scores? You’re not alone. You see, most people know that when they get a ticket or have an accident, their insurance rates are liable to go up. But did you know that those incidents will affect your insurance score as well?

So what is an insurance score? Well, no one has really figured out how the score is determined. However, insurance scores are likely affected by a few key factors including:

-Accidents

-Age

-Existing Credit Issues

-Number of Insurance Score Inquiries

At Bennett and Porter Insurance, we do everything we can to help you get the best possible car insurance rates. But you can sure help that process. How? Well, you can make sure your credit rates remain high. Good credit is an indicator to both lenders and insurers alike that you are someone they are willing to take a chance on.

Getting a car and getting insurance is not just a simple two step process. There is a lot more involved than just asking for insurance and getting it. If you’re looking to save money and get great policies, then you need to be paying attention to everything from financial credit scores to your driving habits.

If you’re looking for new insurance or just want to check and make sure you have the best policies at the best prices, be sure to give Bennett and Porter Insurance a call.

One of the things we love best about providing Arizona insurance services is the number of people we can help. You see, we do what most Arizona insurance agencies can’t or won’t do for you: we shop for the best prices and the best policies to meet your specific needs. It’s fun for us and we know our clients love it.

If you’ve been on our website, then you may have noticed the client testimonials. Today, we’d like to provide you with the comments of one satisfied individual:

I have been with Bennett and Porter Insurance for five years now. We have auto insurance, home insurance, and life insurance with you. So it’s important to us that we get the type of service and rates that we think we deserve.

Last week I received a notice about my auto insurance. I always get nervous when opening letters from service providers. So you can image how delighted I was to open the letter and discover that my AZ insurance rate had decreased. (I already thought my rates were low.) I don’t know why or how, but it went down by about $10 a month. That’s the kind of thing I like to see.

But in addition to that, we have always been treated so well by Bennett and Porter employees. Thanks Bennett and Porter!

Mike

So our question to you today is this: what is most important to you? Rates? Coverage? Who you’re working with?

That’s one of the things we can claim about our company…we have it all. If you haven’t talked to a Bennett and Porter Insurance agent yet, then we invite you to give us a try. We do our best to make your insurance experience a great one!

Last week, as we were looking up the funny AZ insurance claims we shared with you, we ran across this true story:

A woman sent a letter to her insurance agency requesting they cancel her husband’s life insurance policy. Her reason for canceling? Her husband had died and she was struggling to pay her bills.

At first, we found the story a bit comical. Imagine the relief that woman felt when she discovered not only could she stop paying the insurance premium…but she would be getting a nice chunk of cash to help her financially. Of course, after we stopped chuckling, we had to ask ourselves, “What does anyone really know about insurance?”

As you know, Hurricane Irene has left hundreds of thousands of people devastated. What if a natural disaster were to happen in Arizona? What if you had a loved one die? What if, what if, what if? So, we thought today might be a great time to share some must know insurance details with you.

Here are 10 important AZ insurance facts you may not be aware of:

• There are two kinds of AZ life insurance – term and whole life. Term life insurance includes a set premium payment and lasts a specific number of years. Whole life insurance is tied to your savings or investments.

• Even if you are in a minor car accident and little to no damage was done to your vehicles or persons, call the police. You need a police report if you discover later that there was damage or you need medical attention. Without a police report, most insurance companies cannot process claims.

• AZ Auto insurance prices are going to vary depending on which car you own. Before making a purchase, find out what your Arizona auto insurance rate will be. It may affect how much car you can afford.

• Most AZ home insurance does not cover flood damage. And some policies won’t cover your electronics and jewelry replacements. But…those things can be added. Be sure to talk to your insurance agent about your specific needs.

• Every state requires auto insurance. You must have it if you plan to drive your car.

• Yes, you can be sued if someone gets injured on your property. However, you can get liability coverage to help protect you against such costs.

• Your credit score affects your auto insurance premiums. So keep an eye on your credit.

Insurance can be tricky business. If there was something on this list you didn’t already know, then how do you know you’re getting the best insurance policy for you? Bennett and Porter Insurance agents are always ready to help you review your options and find the policies that meet the needs of your families.

So, if you’re not sure, why not give us a call?

If you’re like us, you love hearing stories about the crazy things that happen in your industry. School teachers love swapping stories about the comments their students make in class (or excuses they come up with). Military personal swap combat stories. And as you might guess, insurance salesmen also have their own pile of stories to talk about.

Now, we’re not going to share any of the stories from our office – we would hate to see one of the clients we love so much recognize their stories online. But here are some stories and insurance claims that may entertain you a little bit…

We thought this insurance story was mortifyingly funny:

“I was driving along the motorway when the police pulled me over onto the hard shoulder. Unfortunately I was in the middle lane and there was another car in the way..”

Sometimes we love how very honest and direct people are on their insurance claim:

The claimant had collided with a cow. The questions and answers on the claim form were – Q: What warning was given by you? A: Horn. Q: What warning was given by the other party? A: Moo.

Here’s a good reason to practice your driving skills as well as have insurance:

“I had been learning to drive with power steering. I turned the wheel to what I thought was enough and found myself in a different direction going the opposite way.”

Can you imagine being the insurance agent asked to process this claim:

“A house hit my car.” (A house was being moved by a large truck. My friend had his car parked on the side of the road correctly. The house began to tilt off the truck and eventually fell off the truck, landing on my friend’s car. He eventually had the insurance paid, after lengthy explanation and the moving company confirming the story.)

You know, as funny as these stories are, they are really only funny after the fact. Imagine being the person who had to fight with an insurance agency about a claim. What if the man who had a house fall on his car was never compensated, despite being insured? We wouldn’t be laughing then.

So here’s the question of the day…what are your best odds for being able to laugh after an accident or after making an insurance claim? We have that answer – you need an advocate in the insurance world.

At Bennett and Porter Insurance, we’re here to make sure that you’re taken care of. We don’t work for insurance agencies, we work for you. And whether your accident or claim is straightforward and you get compensated by your insurance agency right away, or it’s something that needs a little bit more time and investigating, we are here for you.

We found these stories at: http://www.businessballs.com/insuranceclaims.htm
Although many of these stories are repeated on multiple websites.

Many of us at Bennett and Porter like to hit the road. We visit Sedona. Go camping near Pinetop. Hike parts of the Grand Canyon. And frequently take trips to Southern California. Sometimes, a good road trip is exactly what the doctor ordered. But how often do you take a road trip and see cars stranded on the freeway.

Having good auto insurance is important. When your car breaks down or the windshield cracks, your insurance is going to cover the costs. That’s why you have insurance. But experiencing car trouble close to home is a lot different than breaking down 300 miles away.

So the best auto insurance for a road trip is the auto insurance you don’t have to use. With the summer winding down, you probably have just enough time for one more road trip. When preparing to take off, be sure to follow these standard inspection steps:

-Check the tires. Keeping your tires at the right pressure can help prevent blowouts. (Which is actually important when driving around your city. The last thing you want to do is call your insurance company to help you find a towing service.) Additionally, your tire treads are important to watch. Did you know the State of Arizona requires your tread to be at least 1/32 of an inch deep?

-Check the windshield wipers. An associate of ours took a trip to Utah in early May. For us, the weather was already warm. But this associate entered the Salt Lake Valley in the middle of the night and ran into a snow storm. Unfortunately, she hadn’t checked her windshield wipers. Turning them on smudged wet snow across the whole windshield. Yes, you live in Arizona, but that doesn’t mean you can neglect your wipers.

-Check the oil. As someone who takes good care of your possessions, you routinely get your oil changed. But check it before you leave on your trip…just in case. And be sure to take extra oil with you. In one incident, a client of ours got an oil leak 45 miles away from home. Rather than calling a tow truck, she filled up her car with extra oil and was able to make it to the auto care center near her home. This saved her from making an auto insurance claim as the leak was a simple, inexpensive fix.

-Check the A/C. This is not something most of us know how to do. But if you haven’t had your AC checked in a while, stop somewhere and get it looked at. Because we live in Arizona, we know how important a powerful AC system is.

If you’ve taken a road trip before, this might all sound like information you already knew. But there are a few things that your auto insurance won’t cover if you find yourself without, like: water, food, sunscreen, or a hat. So in addition to checking your car before your road trip, don’t forget to stock your car with emergency items that will keep you protected from the elements.

You’ve only got a few weeks of summer left. If you’re looking for something to do, consider a road trip. Just be sure to check the expiration date on your auto insurance card (so it’s up to date), properly maintain your card, and be ready for anything to happen.

Enjoy your trip!