If you are taking a road trip this summer, here are a number of ways to prepare your vehicle (and yourself) for the road:

See a Professional – Every season, you should have your car inspected by a mechanic, especially if you are taking a road trip. Regular checkups of your vehicle can save you money and time. Keeping your engine well-maintained will not only keep you safe, but can also help keep your repair bills down.

Check Your Fluids – There is a lot of routine maintenance that you perform on your own vehicle without knowing much about cars. The biggest thing you can do is check the car’s fluids, like the transmission fluid, antifreeze, etc. This is quite important for your oil levels – if your oil has been burning off, your road trip might hit a big snag! If this is the case, see a mechanic immediately.

Call Your Agent – Give your insurance agent a call, especially if you aren’t sure what’s covered in your CT auto insurance policy. You’ll want to be sure that your policy is up-to-date and has all of the coverage you need before you hit the long road to summer bliss.

Be Prepared – Put together an emergency kit with essential items including water, first aid supplies, non-perishable / freeze-dried food and jumper cables. If anyone in your family has prescriptions needed on a daily basis, include these in this kit as well.

Here are a few types of policies to consider when you’re finished getting that Bachelor’s or Graduate Degree:

Medical Insurance – You may have heard about the new federal health care law that allows dependent children (up to age 26) to stay on a parent’s health insurance policy. This is helpful for graduates who have not been able to find work in their search after college. If you need to keep coverage through your parents, sit down and discuss the policy options with your insurance agent to make the plan work for everyone.

Auto Insurance – Having auto insurance is an obvious need for any college graduate, especially when the job search has you travelling to interviews. With insurance for your vehicle, you can limit your personal liability in the case of an accident.  Furthermore, your current auto insurance may change if you are changing residency in the weeks after graduation. Stay aware of auto insurance changes you need to make as a recent graduate.

Renters Insurance – College undergraduates usually don’t need a homeowner’s insurance policy, because who can afford a home right after graduation? However, if you are moving out on your own, you should get renters insurance. Sure, your landlord has insurance for your apartment structure, but not any of your valuable items or your personal liability. Speak with an insurance agent to find the best policy to fit with your needs and budget.

If you are a recent college graduate and are not sure if your policies need to be changed, please contact your local CT independent insurance agent to get a quote on CT insurance.

Your Area – When you begin taking safety measures to protect your home from flooding, look into your neighborhood’s flood history and the type of damage that was left behind. Find out how your local area deals with flood warnings and whether or not there is some type of emergency warning system in place. Staying on top of your local area’s flood preparations will help you if a flood comes your way.

Make a List and Store It – As we have mentioned in this blog before, making a home inventory is a simple task you can complete to quickly replace your valuables after a disaster. Itemizing and photographing your possessions will not only help in the processing of coverage after a flood, but it will also give you peace of mind. Furthermore, store your valuables on high shelves or upper floors of your home, giving them more of a chance to avoid water damage.

Material Preparation – If you know that your area is prone to flooding, keep emergency building materials on hand like plywood, nails and plastic sheeting. Having these on hand can save your home from major damage.

Talk to Your Agent – Get in touch with your CT insurance agency to find out about flood insurance and the type of coverage you need for your home. An independent insurance agent will be able to guide you through the process to keep your home covered in case the worst happens.

Disposal – It can be really difficult to get your house as clean as you want without using chemically-based cleaners. Although there are safer organic options, you may need to break out the hard stuff to get your hardwood floors and carpets up to your standards. Always remember to dispose of these cleaners correctly – i.e. not down your kitchen sink. Check your town’s website or call town hall to see where these cleaners can be disposed of or picked up by a certified service.

Fire Safety – Fire safety is a major concern all the time, but especially in the spring season. The mixture of gusty winds, dry conditions and low humidity raises the likelihood of fires, from wildfires to small grease fires in your kitchen. Check the smoke detectors around your home and make sure batteries are fresh for the season. While you’re at it, check the expiration date on your home fire extinguishers. You may need to replace them to ensure your safety.

Protection – Spring is a season of renewal and reflection, so don’t forget to get in touch with your local insurance agency for a review of your current policies. You may notice something in your homeowners insurance that you would like protected. You might even have a new driver in your home needing an auto insurance policy. No matter what your needs might be, your independent insurance agent can guide you down the right path.

Year after year, car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States and those crashes don’t always involve texting. With more teens getting on the road during summer vacation, here are some concerns to discuss with your children before they hit the road on their own:

Speeding - Speeding is a problem among most drivers, not just teens. If you start your teenage driver off correctly, they are less likely to be involved in accidents presently and later in their lives. Talk about how damaging speeding tickets can be to auto insurance premiums and how much allowance money will have to be handed over to your local police.

Click It – Although many states are beginning to make seatbelt safety a major part of routine traffic stops, teenagers are still lax when it comes to buckling up. Make sure your teen driver realizes the risks of driving without a seatbelt, particularly how buckling up can reduce fatalities in accidents.

In Stereo – Music and cars go hand-in-hand, but make sure your teen keeps his radio / stereo at a reasonable volume when cruising around town. High volume levels can cause drivers to miss sound cues from their surroundings.

Phone Off – In 2010, almost 30% of accidents involved texting or talking on cell phones while driving. This number goes up when you are considering teen drivers. Tell your teens to keep the cell phone off while on the road. It can be the difference between life and death.

Here are some tips for protecting your home or office from the effects of a wildfire:

Your Home – Your home has a lot of elements that need protection when it comes to wildfires. For one, make sure your roof is well maintained and clear of any errant debris. Keep your gutters clean of dry leaves. Next, cover any attic vents with metal mesh to stop embers from floating in. Finally, install double paned tempered windows in your home. Single pane windows can shatter due to the heat of a wildfire.

Be Aware – Look at the items outside your home and see if any could act as fuel for the fire. This includes anything from a swing set to the storage shed where you keep your lawnmower. When you are placing these items, keep them at least 30 ft from your home or building. When embers are floating around during a fire, you don’t want a potential fire in your shed to also put your home in danger. This goes double for any area where you store chemicals that are combustible and might cause an explosion during a wildfire. The farther away from your building, the better off you are.

Check Your Policy – There have already been red flag warnings this season up to alert about potential forest fires in CT counties. If this is a concern to you, make sure you go over your CT homeowners insurance and/or commercial property insurance policies with a licensed CT insurance agent. If fire damage isn’t covered, discuss what plans are available for your specific needs.

In general, standard home insurance policies will cover a number of things that can potentially happen if you rent out a hall or other borrowed space for a family gathering. The liability protection in your homeowners policy usually extends to places you have rented or otherwise borrowed. This is certainly a good thing for people looking to throw a nice party, but there are other problems that should be considered:

• What happens if the rented hall is damaged by your guests in any way?
• If you bring any personal property to the event – i.e. TV, sound system, computer, etc. – is theft or damage to these items covered?
• Are you offering transportation to the event or will guests have to drive themselves? Does the valet service have insurance for any accidents?
• Are injuries sustained by guests or event staff – caterers, entertainers, etc. – covered by your liability protection?
• If alcohol is being served, do you have taxi service available to inebriated guests?

These questions could continue for a long time, but they shouldn’t be a major concern, especially if you have an independent insurance agent who can guide you through any potential problems. Call your CT insurance agent today to discuss the type of event you are looking to have so they can walk you through how much coverage you have and what kind of coverage you might need to protect yourself.

There is one element of your car that is often overlooked, even though it’s right in front of your face – the windshield. Your windshield is a major piece of your vehicle that serves a bigger purpose than you may think:

More Than You Think – Your windshield is not only there to keep bugs and rain out of your vehicle, but also for safety reasons. It adds a level of structural safety to the frame of your car that is necessary for proper control and design integrity. Furthermore, your windshield keeps passengers inside the car during accidents and even supports the performance of your vehicle’s airbag system.

Regular Care – Keeping your windshield properly cleaned is a major part of your safety. When you are washing your car, leave the windows and windshield until last and clean them inside your garage or in the shade. This will allow you proper time to leave a clear finish on these areas while keeping them streak-free and uncontaminated.

Get It Fixed – Even though you might think that the winter is the only time you can get a crack in your windshield, your car could be hit with a rock or other item at any time while driving. If your windshield gets damaged, get it fixed as soon as possible before the damage spreads. A lot of auto insurance policies include windshield repair as an added benefit to your normal coverage, so get in touch with your agent to find out what the specifics of your policy are.

Renew Your Insurance – Before you even think about getting your motorhome prepped for the pavement, take a look at your current RV insurance policy. Give your local CT insurance agent a call and go over the coverage you have and discuss whether or not changes need to be made.

General Check – Give your RV a full inspection from top to bottom and make note of any damage that may have occurred in the offseason. Perform normal maintenance by charging the batteries, checking tire pressure and flushing out the holding tanks. Make sure any electrical and water hookups are operating correctly.

Electricity – Your onboard generator is a major part of your RV, so don’t forget to perform regular maintenance and a full inspection before getting on the road. If you think there is a problem and you can’t figure it out, bring your motorhome to a licensed professional who can properly repair your generator. Without it, your trip may be cut short.

Watch Your Towing – You may see a lot of motorhomes towing a normal car or SUV behind them as you ride on the highways this summer. With gas prices rising, it might be a good idea to have a regular vehicle with you on extended trips, especially if you need to make smaller trips on a daily or weekly basis. Make sure your extra vehicle is hooked up correctly and monitor engine heat, especially if your journey has a lot of hills. If you think your engine is overheating, stop and give your RV a rest.

Seeing as it is National Flood Safety Awareness Week, here are some tips to help you prepare for a flood in your area:

Prepare Your Family – As we have mentioned before in this blog, it is essential to have an emergency kit available in your home. Furthermore, discuss and develop an emergency evacuation plan that your whole family can follow in case of a flood.

Flash Flooding – Flash flooding can happen at any moment and can throw any emergency preparation off-course. You should avoid areas that are prone to flash flooding, like streams and drainage areas. During flash flood warnings, do not park near these areas.

What Not to Do – When you exit your home during a flood, do not walk through moving water. Make sure that any water you walk through is stagnant, especially when you are walking on grass or other natural surfaces. Although it may be tempting, do not drive your car if you are in a flood area. It only takes two feet of floodwater to sweep your car away.

Insure Your Home – Homeowners insurance policies do not have coverage for flood damage. Even though you may not mind dealing with a bit of water damage, it only takes an inch of water to cause costly damage to your home. Contact your local CT insurance agent for more information about adding flood insurance coverage to your current insurance package.