Fire Prevention Week – How To Keep Your Family Safe

Did you know that roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., when most people are asleep? These unfortunate instances are easily preventable if you take proper safety precautions, such as testing your home’s smoke alarms on a regular basis. In fact, having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire by half.

Since October 4 – 10 is Fire Prevention Week, Hunter Insurance wants to help keep you and your family safe by reminding you of the importance of regularly checking your smoke alarms to make certain they are in proper working condition. Be sure to follow these simple safety tips to protect your home and your family: 

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home Test your smoke alarms every month
• When a smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside
• Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years

It is important to keep in mind that many fires are caused by misplaced heating equipment, leaving kitchens unattended while cooking and inadequate electrical wire placement. Preventing fires in your home is just as important as knowing what to do should one occur, so be sure to check your home for potential risks.

If you have any questions about the terms of your current policy regarding damage from house fires, please call Hunter Insurance at 401.769.9500 today.

Information for this article provided by The National Fire Protection Association.

PUFF BACK: What it is and How to Prevent it

A puff back is a misfire in an oil-fired furnace that can send soot throughout a home, covering drapes, bedding, furniture, cabinets, walls, and everything in between.  It often requires extensive cleaning and restoration in addition to repairs to the heating systems. 

A puff back can be a chronic problem, with each ignition sending forth a small amount of soot that slowly accumulates on surfaces, or it can be a single sudden event that sends a large amount of soot or smoke through the heating system and structure. 

This discharge of soot points to an underlying problem with the heating system which will need to be repaired.  To help prevent puff backs, the oil burner and furnace system should be services regularly.

The soot can look like cobwebs.  It is not just a powder-like substance but a black and sticky mix that goes everywhere.  This dirty residue needs to be clean as soon as possible.  Oil based soot is difficult to remove and often causes an odor that may permeate the home.  Here are some tips if a puff back occurs in your home:

• Call our office as soon as possible.
• Assess the situation and the amount of damage that was done.
• Wash all affected clothing and fabric in the house.
• Have ducts cleaned if the home has a forced hot-air heating system.
• Call a repairman to fix the malfunctioning oil furnace.
• Call a cleaning service to take care of the soot and odor. 

Call Hunter Insurance today at 769-9500 for more information on how to prevent puff back and to speak with an agent who will help you ensure your home is properly protected.

Protecting Your Property from Flooding – Backflow

The following is an excerpt from the article, “Install Sewer Backflow Valves.”  For more information please visit www.fema.gov.

In some flood prone areas, flooding can cause sewage from sanitary sewer lines to back up through drainpipes into buildings. These backups not only cause damage that is difficult to repair but also create health hazards. A good way to protect buildings from sewage backups is to install backflow valves, which are designed to block drainpipes temporarily and prevent return flow. Backflow valves are available in a variety of designs that range from the simple to the complex.

Keep these tips in mind if you have backflow valves installed:

▪       Changes to the plumbing in your property must be done by a licensed plumber or contractor, who will ensure that the work is done correctly and according to all applicable codes.  They can advise you on the relative advantages and disadvantages of the various types of backflow valves.

▪       Valves should be installed on main waste drainpipes that leave the structure or that are connected to equipment that is below the potential flood level. Therefore, valves may be needed on washing machine drain lines, laundry sinks, fuel oil lines, rain downspouts, and sump pumps, as well as sewer/septic connections.

▪       If you have a sump pump, it may be connected to underground drain lines, which may be difficult to seal off.

We are in the middle of hurricane season and flood season is rapidly approaching. It is crucial you are prepared, and you fully understand what is covered under your insurance policies. For more information on how to protect your home from flooding call Hunter Insurance today at 401.769.9500.

Don’t Get Washed Away – Buy Flood Insurance Now

Did you know that even though you don’t live along a river or near the coast, you could still be at risk for a flash flood?

In fact, about 25 percent of all flood insurance claims come from areas that are not considered high risk, according to Floodsmart.gov, the official site of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

With this statistic in mind, you should consider adding flood insurance to your homeowner’s policy, since a standard policy does not include this important coverage.

The average waiting period for a flood insurance policy to go into effect is 30 days, so consider adding this coverage before spring downpours create hazardous conditions around your home.

When deciding the type of flood insurance coverage to purchase, the NFIP suggests you purchase Personal Property Flood Insurance in addition to Building Property Flood Insurance to ensure the items within your home are also covered.

In the unfortunate event that you need to file a claim, your flood insurance policy would cover the Actual Cash Value (ACV), otherwise known as the replacement value, of the damaged items or building, rather than providing you with the total value of the policy.

It is important to note that flood insurance will not pay more than the policy limit in the event of a loss, and does not cover damage done from sewer or drain backup and sump pump overflows.

The rate for flood insurance coverage varies according to your location. The country is divided into flood zone risk areas with the government’s Flood Hazard Boundary Map. When the boundary map is collaborated with the government’s Flood Insurance Rate Map, an appropriate premium is set for different areas.

Hunter Insurance encourages everyone to purchase this important coverage to avoid expensive losses. If you would like more information about protecting your home from flooding, please contact us at 401-769-9500.

Why You May Need Umbrella Insurance

When it rains, it pours, the old saying goes. It’s something that’s especially true for major accidents. Sometimes, standard homeowners insurance may not be enough to protect you against seven-figure claims arising from a catastrophic incident on your property.

That’s when umbrella insurance kicks in.

Normally sold in increments of $1 million or more, umbrella insurance will protect you when basic homeowners insurance policies have been exhausted.

Umbrella insurance also has the added advantage of “dropping down” to cover any gaps in your existing policies.

While this may sound like insurance for millionaires, it’s actually very affordable. A $1 million policy for an average family will generally run between $200 and $250 in annual premiums.

So who needs umbrella insurance? Well, just about everybody who owns their home, but especially anyone who meets at least one of the following criteria:

• Own rental properties or multiple homes 
• Have children or responsible for the children of others (such as babysitting) 
• Involved in homeowners associations, civic activities, or a board of directors 
• Own a pool, hot tub, or swing set 
• Shared ownership or access to docks, lakes, or vacant land 
• Use or allow your children to use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter 
• Own animals or care for others’ animals 
• Have retirement accounts, investments, or other assets worth protecting 

If any of the above apply to you, consider buying umbrella insurance. Call Hunter Insurance toll free at 1-800-696-4678 or e-mail us at info@hunterinsurance.net

Why You May Need Umbrella Insurance

When it rains, it pours, the old saying goes.

It’s something that’s especially true for major accidents. Sometimes, normal homeowners or auto insurance may not be enough to protect you against seven-figure claims arising from a catastrophic incident on your property or a deadly crash involving your car or boat.

That’s where umbrella insurance kicks in.

Normally sold in increments of $1 million or more, umbrella insurance will protect you when basic auto or homeowners insurance policies have been exhausted. Umbrella insurance also has the added advantage of “dropping down” to cover any gaps in your existing policies.

This may sound like insurance for millionaires. But it isn’t. It’s for everyone: A $1 million policy on a one-house, two-car family will generally run between $200 and $250 in annual premiums.

So who needs umbrella insurance? Well, just about everybody who owns their home or car, but especially anyone who meets at least one of the following criteria:

• Own rental properties or multiple homes 
• Have children or responsible for children of others (anything from babysitting to carpooling) 
• Own several vehicles 
• Involved in homeowners associations, civic activities, or a board of directors 
• Own a pool, hot tub, or swing set 
• Own an ATV, boat, or motorcycle 
• Shared ownership or access to docks, lakes, or vacant land 
• Use or allow your children to use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter 
• Own animals or care for others’ animals 
• Have retirement accounts, investments, or other assets worth protecting 
• Travel overseas 

If any of the above apply to you consider buying umbrella insurance. Call Hunter Insurance toll free at 1-800-696-4678 or e-mail us at info@hunterinsurance.net.

Preparedness Makes for Fewer Winter Woes

As most New Englanders know, ice, snow and wind can take a toll on residential property, so remember to protect your home well before the snow starts to fly. Homeowners, especially those who spend the winter in warmer locations such as Florida, should do the following:

• Remove debris from gutters. Cleaning out leaves, acorns, sticks and pine cones allows melting snow and ice to flow freely. Cluttered gutters can cause ice damming. 
• Trim trees and remove dead branches. Ice, snow and wind can cause trees or branches to break, damaging your home, automobile or injuring someone walking on your property. 
• Add insulation to attics. If too much heat escapes through the attic, it can cause snow or ice to melt on the roof. If melted snow refreezes, it can result in a collapsed roof, and contribute to ice damming. Additionally, well-insulated basements and crawl spaces will also help protect pipes from freezing. 
• Protect exposed pipes. Wrap pipes with heating tape and insulate unfinished rooms such as garages that frequently have exposed pipes. 
• Keep temperature at a minimum of 65 degrees. Install programmable thermostats to maintain temperature. 
• Have furnaces, boilers and chimneys serviced at least once a year. Make sure that smoke and fire alarms are working properly and consider installing a carbon dioxide detector. 
• Make repairs. Broken stairs and banisters can become lethal when covered with snow and ice – make sure they are ready for winter weather. 

If you have additional questions about preparing your home for winter, or would like to discuss your home insurance policy, please contact your insurance agent by calling Hunter Insurance at 401-769-9500.

Certain Events Should Trigger Changes in Coverage

September is inevitably a busy month. School, soccer practice and homework make schedules a little more hectic. While you’re in the organizing and planning mode of the challenging Fall season, consider the changes in the past year that may make it necessary to alter your insurance coverage. It is wise to contact your independent insurance agent at Hunter Insurance if, in the past year, you:

• Bought a new home, whether it’s your main domicile, a vacation home or rental property. 
• Purchased a new or used automobile. 
• Purchased a boat, recreational vehicle or motorcycle. 
• Are the parents of a teenager who obtained a driver’s license and is allowed to drive the “family” car. 
• Received or purchased an expensive piece of jewelry. 
• Received or purchased an antique of any sort, including household items and coins. 
• Started planning and paying for a wedding. 
• Completed major renovations or an addition to your house. 
• Had (and will continue to have) a dependent that is living away from home to attend college. 
• Got married or divorced. 
• Welcomed a new child or grandchild. 
• Had significant changes in your health or that of your spouse or domestic partner. 
• Took on the financial responsibility of an aging parent. 
• Refinanced your home. 

As you gear up for fall, take a moment to organize your insurance coverage. Please call Hunter Insurance at 401-769-9500 if you have questions about your insurance.

Avoiding Mold

Mold occurs naturally throughout the environment—both indoors and outdoors. And during these warm months, mold can be found indoors more often than during the winter months. In fact, mold spores could probably be found in nearly every structure in the United States, regardless of how new or clean the structure is. That’s because mold—in normal amounts—is no more dangerous than dust or pollen.

However, excessive amounts of mold, certain types of mold and/or exposure to molds may present health concerns for some people.

If there is an ongoing moisture problem in your office or home it is important to be alert for:

• The presence of visible mold 
• Strong, musty odors, which may indicate mold is present 
• Any evidence of past moisture problems that might have caused mold growth 

These conditions may require the expertise of a qualified Indoor Air Quality/Environmental Professional to inspect the building for mold growth and water damage problems.

Usually, mold damage is covered by your homeowner’s insurance if it is the direct result of another claim, such as water damage. If you have questions about whether mold in your home is covered by your homeowner’s policy, please contact Hunter Insurance at 401-769-9500.

Hurricane Preparedness

Hurricanes do not strike Rhode Island all that often, but when one does hit, it can cause devastating property loss, serious personal injury or even death. To make sure you have adequate insurance coverage and are well prepared for such events, the Trusted Choice independent insurance agents, who include Hunter Insurance Agency, have established a comprehensive hurricane-related website.

Insuringconfidenceri.com has pages addressing deductibles, ways to minimize damage, available emergency resources, and what to do when a hurricane makes landfall.

Hurricane preparedness means taking action before a tropical cyclone strikes to lessen the damage and personal danger such storms can cause. It improves your chances that you and your possessions will come through a storm safely.

Take action now to ensure you are safe and adequately insured. If you have questions about preparing for a hurricane, contact Hunter Insurance at 401-769-9500.

Maintain That Clothes Dryer

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report, there are approximately 10,000 annual residential fire losses in which the source of the fire is in the clothes dryer or vent. Dryers are the third most common type of equipment involved in fires, ranking behind stoves and fixed area heaters. Clothes dryers can catch fire due to excessive lint build-up in the exhaust pipe or inside the dryer; this lint build-up is often out-of-sight. As a result, you should take the following steps to reduce the chance of your dryer starting a fire.

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when installing the vent pipe. 
• Keep the dryer vent clean and unplugged. Check for a plugged vent if the dryer does not dry clothes efficiently. 
• Remove and clean the lint screen before each use. 
• Keep all combustibles away from the clothes dryer. 
• Hire a qualified technician to periodically inspect gas clothes dryers.

Do You Really Need Flood Insurance?

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), flooding can cause several billion dollars of property damage in the United States each year. If you are like many homeowners, however, you may be unaware that the standard homeowners insurance policy you buy does not cover flood losses. You may believe that you have a low risk to this peril but FEMA reports that approximately 25 percent of all flood claims occur in communities in which flooding is deemed to be a low to moderate risk. So do you really need a separate flood policy? The following tips and ideas may prove helpful in answering this question.

• Contact your insurance agent to see if you live in a community that participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a prerequisite in order to qualify for flood insurance. Participating communities must agree to adopt and enforce certain floodplain management regulations, including building construction and zoning laws that minimize the risks of flood damage.
• Ask your insurance agent to see if you are in a floodplain. Or, if you prefer, go to www.floodsmart.gov and select “What’s Your Flood Risk?” which will ask you to enter your home address. This Web site will then specify whether you are in a low, moderate, or high risk area.
• Consider purchasing flood insurance even if you are in a low to moderate risk community. In these areas, you may be eligible for the Preferred Risk Policy, with premiums as low as $112 per year including coverage for your personal property.
• Note that a flood policy does not take effect until 30 days after you purchase the cover-age. Thus, if the local meteorologist announces a flood alert for your community and you try to purchase coverage, it is already too late.
• The maximum limit of insurance in the NFIP for your home itself is $250,000. If your residence’s value exceeds this amount, ask your insurance agent about excess insurance for losses above the federal policy’s maximum limits.
• Don’t assume that the government will bail you out if you suffer a flood loss and don’t have a flood insurance policy. That decision is a gamble you may not win. Remember that federal disaster assistance, if available, is usually a loan that must be paid back with interest.
• Discuss all the pros and cons of flood insurance with your agent before making your final decision.

If you have further questions about flood insurance, please call Hunter Insurance Agency at 401-769-9500.

Steps to Take to Reduce Exposure to Water Damage Losses

Water damage losses can create severe financial difficulties, particularly since not all water losses are covered by the homeowners policy. There are numerous ways by which you can safeguard your home from water damage losses, including the following.

• Your home’s drainage system should be checked to verify that proper water drainage occurs. For example, gutter downspouts should extend the proper distance from the foundation.
• Your yard should be properly graded to slope away from the home to allow surface water to adequately drain.
• A sump pump system should be considered in your basement to keep unwanted water out of this vulnerable part of your home.
• Your washing machine hoses should be periodically checked since these hose failures cause millions of dollars of water losses each year. Hoses should be replaced at the first sign of wear. Many adjusters recommend that insureds upgrade to the heavy-duty wire mesh hoses or stainless steel hoses during this replacement.