Carbon monoxide is the product of incomplete fuel combustion including oil, natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, propane, butane, wood and coal. The gas is emitted by inefficient or faulty furnaces, space and water heaters, dryers, ranges, fireplaces and wood stoves. Today’s airtight homes add to the danger by trapping the carbon monoxide gas and allowing lethal levels to build up.
The best defense against carbon monoxide poisoning is a UL-listed carbon monoxide detector located in at least two places in your home. Place one detector near your sleeping quarters and another one near your gas or oil furnace. Carbon monoxide detectors look and sound like smoke detectors. Some other precautions you should take to reduce your risk of carbon monoxide poisoning include:

• Having your furnace serviced annually.
• Opening a window when using a wood-burning fireplace and having your chimney cleaned each season.
• Never running gasoline motors or using a barbecue grill inside your home.
• Having fuel-burning appliances installed by a professional.

If you suspect carbon monoxide gas in your home, have all family members, and pets, leave immediately. Call a heating contractor or a local utility to inspect your furnace and gas appliances from a neighbors house. If you use oil or propane, call your fuel supplier or heating contractor. Make sure your home has been well ventilated before re-entering.

Information provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Mutual Insurance Companies.

Insurance fraud comes in several different forms.

Some to look out for include:

Swoop and Squat – The vehicle in front of you suddenly stops for no apparent reason, causing you to be responsible for a rear end collision. You and your insurance company could be a victim of a staged accident.

Slip and Fall – You are notified by an attorney that his client was injured on your property and you are to contact your insurance company. You have no knowledge of the accident and don’t know the claimant. Small businesses are usually targeted in these cases. Home owners can also be targets.

Risky Repairs – Your vehicle is damaged in a collision or because of vandalism. Don’t be fooled by repair shops that “bury” your deductible or inflate the damage estimate. You may end up with repairs not properly performed or covered up until they are discovered by insurance company inspections.

These are just some of the insurance frauds you as a consumer need to guard yourself against. If you find yourself involved in an accident of any kind, here are some steps you should take:

• If you are involved in an accident, always report it to the authorities for a record to be established.
• Be sure to contact your insurance agent.
• Make sure you get information from the other individuals involved in the accident.
• Information such as name, address, driver’s license number and insurance card.
• Be sure you keep accurate records of the accident, names of individuals involved and insurance representatives.

Remember, the cost of fraud not only affects the insurance companies. It affects the insurance consumers through higher insurance premiums charged to cover the cost of fraudulent claims. If you suspect someone is committing insurance fraud, you can call 1-800-835-6422 to make an anonymous report.

Information provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Mutual Insurance Companies.

It’s a hard thing to think about… the loss of your most valued possessions, family heirlooms, artwork, childhood memorabilia, photo albums — all due to a house fire. There is nothing that can be done to change the fact that you must start over. To help with that transition is your homeowners insurance policy.

Chances are you don’t think about your insurance until you need it.  Tragic events, like a house fire, are never expected but it is a good idea to prepare now to minimize the impact of a potential tragedy should it occur.  Creating a home inventory will greatly assist you should you have a claim in the future. 

Your Homeowners insurance policy provides coverage for loss or damage to your personal property due to fire and other perils covered by the policy.  To expedite the claim process, you should consider documenting the property you own. 

The answer? Take time to do a Personal Property Inventory. Documenting what you own will greatly assist you in the claims process. There are a couple of ways you can go about documenting your property. First, you can manually write down what is contained in each room, in the garage, and in any outbuilding through the help of a Personal Property Inventory Guide (available from your insurance company or agent). This guide will contain important information, such as the purchase date and price of the items. When completed, the information should be kept in a safe place such as a safe deposit box.

Another option is to use your smart phone or video recording device to record a video of your property. Simply walk through each room, panning the camera to record all the contents. Use a voice-over to relay details such as manufacturer, serial number, date of purchase, etc. Be sure to keep as many receipts as you can with your inventory. When finished, it is best to upload your video to a secure online location.  And remember to update your inventory from time to time.

To determine exactly what to document, consider the following:

• All of your expensive electronic items (stereo, VCR, camcorder, TV, camera and computer equipment) may be prone to theft.
• Expensive items such as silverware, jewelry, fine china, collectibles, art, furs, artifacts, antiques, book and collections.
• Other expensive items not likely to be stolen, but could require replacement following a fire: refrigerator/freezer, dish washer, air conditioner, furnace, hot water heater and bench tools.
• Wall-to-wall carpeting, expensive clothing, sports equipment, mowers, mirrors and musical instruments.

Remember, what is out of sight is often out of mind. So be sure to take the time to consider what valuable items you own and document the relevant information about those items. In the end, you’ll be glad you did.

Information provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Mutual Insurance Companies.

The policy is the written statement of the terms of the contract and contains three components: a Declaration Page, Policy Forms, and Endorsements.

Declaration Page

This page spells out the person or persons insured, property covered, specific limits of coverage, deductibles, the policy period, and any other information specific to your policy. When you renew your coverage you will receive a new declaration page which becomes a part of your policy.

Policy Forms

The policy form (or forms) contains the insuring agreement, definitions, coverage, exclusions, conditions and other policy provisions.

Endorsements

These are additional forms that customize the policy to fit your specific needs.

Further Questions?

Whenever you have any questions about your policy, the best source for answers is your agent. Not only can this professional help to answer questions about your policy, but more important, he or she can help to evaluate all your insurance needs.