Insurance Tips When Planning A Vacation

It’s getting hot, the pools are opening, and everyone has summer vacation on the brain!  Here are a few insurance tips before you take off on your next trip.

First contact the Post Office and put a hold on your mail.  You can do the same for your newspaper service too!  These are often big indicators that a homeowner is out of town and a target for thieves.  This is an easy way to keep your home protected. 

Consider putting a few lights in your home on a timer to further give the illusion that someone is home.  Outdoor security lights are also a great option.

Do you have a neighbor that you trust?  Let them know of your plans, share your emergency contact number, and consider leaving a spare key just in case. 

 

Imagine that a big thunderstorm hits while you’re out of town.  It knocks out power or even causes a tree in your yard to fall.  Your neighbor can make sure that your freezer is back on when the power restores or verify that there aren’t any leaks in the roof from the storm damage!  This can help prevent bad surprises when you get home.

What about once you’re on the road?

The biggest tip I share with my clients is to avoid leaving valuables in the car! 

Many people believe that their belongings are covered by car insurance, but that is not the case.  The only coverage for your luggage, computer, etc. would be on your Homeowners Insurance and it’s subject to your deductible!

Have questions about your Homeowners Insurance?  Give us a call anytime at 973-948-3200 to discuss your policy or to get a quote!

Safe Driving in New Jersey

Palisades car insurance, one of our carrier companies, performed a statewide poll that found 22% of NJ residents have no knowledge of the NJ law that mandates that motorists must stop — and remain stopped — for pedestrians in the crosswalk.

At van den Heuvel & Fountain, we value our safe (and violation-free!) drivers – so we’ve compiled a helpful list of three other overlooked traffic laws of which you should be aware:

1. Idling Stinks

New Jersey law requires all motorists to restrict idling to three minutes or less (N.J.A.C. 7:27).  Idling more than three minutes is unnecessary and harmful to your vehicle and your health.  Vehicle and property owners face fines of $250 to $1,000 for each violation of this law.

There are some specific situations in which a vehicle may idle for an extended times, such as when it is stuck in traffic, or at a drive-thru window.  See www.stopthesoot.org for a complete listing of exemptions.

 
2. Move over
New Jersey’s “Move Over” law requires that all motorists approaching a stationary, authorized emergency vehicle, tow truck, highway maintenance or other emergency service vehicle that is displaying a flashing, blinking or alternating red, blue, amber or tallow light, or any configuration of lights containing one of these colors, must change lanes, safety and traffic conditions permitting, into a lane not adjacent to the authorized vehicle.  If a lane change is impossible, prohibited by law or unsafe, the motorist must reduce speed of his vehicle to reasonable and proper speed, slower than the posted limit, and be prepared to stop if necessary.  Motorists who violate this law face a fine of not less than $100.

3. Safe Corridors

In order to improve highway safety, New Jersey initiated Safe Corridors Program in 2004.  The Safe Corridors law doubles fines on various state highways for various driving offenses, including speeding and aggressive driving.  Highways are designated for the program based on crash rates 50 percent over the state rate and 1,000 or more crashes reported over a three-year period.  A current list of Safe Corridor highways is available from the New Jersey Department of Transportation at www.nj.gov/transportation.

Brush up your knowledge of New Jersey driving regulations by downloading the New Jersey Driver Manual (from which these laws and their descriptions were taken) at http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/About/manuals.htm. 

Or check out our Facebook and Twitter feeds, where we periodically remind our readers of traffic rules and regulations.

June Insurance Tips

Last month we talked about some of the special insurance you need to consider during the summer.  Today we'll dive into a few more special situations that might require a phone call to your agent. (If you live around Sussex County, we'd be happy to help answer your questions!)
 

When summer arrives, many people leave the day-to-day routine behind and go on vacation in June.  Hopefully you're planning a trip sometime soon too!

But there are a few things you need to know before you hit the road. Consider these special situations:

Rental Cars  - If you choose to rent a car, make sure you understand how your insurance works. A rental car company will want to sell you special coverage to cover the car while you are driving it. The insurance will cost you a certain amount each day. But here's the deal. Your current insurance will typically also cover you at no additional cost.

However, if you have a claim filed on your current policy, your rates could go up in the future. And rental car companies could file a claim for very minor damage. Obviously it is a risk either way, but make sure you know your options. And please contact your insurance agent before renting a car to find out what is specifically covered on your policy.

Rental Boats  - Similar to rental cars, you need to make sure you're covered. Your auto policy won't cover a boat, but you may have coverage available on your homeowner's policy (or if you have a boat policy). Call your agent first and see what your options are BEFORE you show up at the marina.

Hosting A Barbecue  - It's always fun to throw a party. It's even more fun when you aren't worried about your insurance! Your homeowner's and renter's insurance covers you if someone is injured on your property due to your negligence. That means that if they trip on a step, fall on the patio, or cut their hand on a glass, you don't have to worry.

But, as always, you need to discuss this with your agent and go over exactly what coverage you have. If you have a lot of assets, then you might need additional liability coverage too.

Notice a pattern here? The general rule is that you need a personal insurance agent who is looking out for your particular needs! There is not a "one size fits all" approach when it comes to protecting your family and your belongings.

Take 2 minutes to call us at 973-948-3200 and schedule a short phone review of your coverage today. And then make plans to enjoy your summer worry free!