Remember to Regularly Check Your Tire Pressure This Winter

During the winter months, slippery roads and snowfall should not be your only concerns when driving. Did you know that the weather can also affect the pressure in your tires? As the temperature outside the tire changes, it will affect the pressure inside the tire, which is why you may see your tire pressure light come on more often during the colder months.

When it gets cold outside, tires that are underinflated create safety concerns such as increased braking distance and reduced steering capability. Over the course of winter, underinflated tires lead to a decrease in gas mileage and will wear out quicker than normal. Now that winter has arrived, keeping track of your tire pressure should be a top priority.

As a rule of thumb, you should check your tire pressure at least once a month. If you notice any dramatic changes in pressure, you should inspect your tires immediately. Your vehicle’s recommended tire pressure can be found in your owner’s manual or on your vehicle’s doorjamb. If you cannot find it, check your manufacturer’s inflation pressure guide or consult a local tire specialist. Most new vehicles are equipped with tire monitoring systems that will indicate any issues. If your vehicle is an older model, it is your responsibility to stay alert.

Regardless of your model, it is crucial to recognize underinflated tires and to manually check tire pressure. It is important to note that as you drive your car, friction causes the tires to heat up, increasing the pressure within the tire. Checking the tire pressure after you have been driving may give inaccurate, misleadingly high pressure readings.

Hunter Insurance reminds you to drive safe this season. If you have any further questions or concerns about proper vehicle safety, visit us at www.hunterinsuranceonline.com or call 401-769-9500.

Buying Jewelry This Holiday Season? Know Its Value.

With the holiday shopping season in full swing, Hunter Insurance would like to remind you to protect your expensive purchases. Before insuring jewelry, it is always a good idea to have the items appraised to secure adequate coverage for your valuables. 

Since homeowner policies limit the amount of coverage for jewelry, your valuables need to be appraised and then added as a floater to your homeowners policy. This will ensure that the items you treasure are properly covered.

Factors considered during an appraisal include whether the item is made of precious stones; the cut clarity, color and weight of the gems; the amount of gold or silver in an item; and whether the jewelry is an estate or modern piece. 

As a benefit for our customers, we have made special arrangements with Christian Jewelers of Lincoln. Simply mention that you are a Hunter Insurance customer and receive a 10% discount on appraisals.

If you have additional questions on how to protect your holiday gifts, please contact Hunter Insurance at 769.9500.

Helping to Keep You Safe on the Road

As many of the recent news stories have documented, automobile accidents resulting from faulty equipment are on the rise. While many consumers are well aware of the dangers linked to certain air bags, far less know of the hazards linked to defective tires. 

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), each year tire problems cause 33,000 accidents and kill 500-plus motorists; only one in five defective tires is being taken out of service via recalls; and more than half of recalled tires remain in use.

The problem specifically with tires, according to an NTSB report, is that tire manufacturers cannot reach tire owners to warn them. Independent tire dealers are not required to register the tires they sell with manufacturers, therefore many do not. Though 3.2 million tires were recalled between 2009 and 2013, most of the drivers using them were unaware of the recalls. Additionally, there is currently no government or industry database to systematically notify owners or mechanics about recalled tires.

To help keep you and your loved ones safe, Hunter Insurance would like to inform you that www.safercar.gov allows consumers to check recalls on their vehicles, car seats, as well as tires. This is an easy way to stay up-to-date on potential dangers that could affect you and your family.

For more information on how Hunter Insurance can help you safeguard what matters most, call us today at 769.9500.

Winter Weather Causes Ice Dams

With another New England winter just around the corner, Hunter Insurance wants to make sure you, your family and your property are fully protected. 

During the winter months, you may have noticed glistening icicles hanging from your gutter. What you may be unaware of is that those icicles can signal the start of significant property damage; the appearance of icicles is typically the first warning sign of possible ice dams.

Ice dams are essentially a wall of ice that forms along the roof of your home, usually near the gutters. Melting snow can back-up behind the ice dam, creating a pool of water that can leak into your home and cause damage to walls, ceilings, insulation and other areas.  With the extensive snowfall totals we had last year, coupled with freezing temperatures, homes in our area were hit particularly hard.

The best way to avoid ice dam formation is to make certain your attic is properly ventilated and insulated.  Even if the temperatures are freezing outside, poor insulation allows heat to escape through the roof, which in turn causes the snow to melt quicker.  When the accumulated snow on your roof starts melting down to the “colder” sections (such as the gutters) it begins to refreeze thus forming an ice dam. 

While ice dams can lead to extensive water damage, it is important to exercise caution when removing them.   Only trained professionals with the proper equipment and roofing experience should be consulted.  Never step out onto a snow covered roof, as there is severe risk of personal injury. 

At Hunter Insurance, we are committed to helping individuals and families protect what matters most.  If you would like additional information on ice dams and ice dam prevention, please contact Hunter Insurance at 769.9500.

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.

Insuring Your College Student

The college school year is just around the corner, which means there is a lot on your to-do list to help prepare your student for success. But besides shopping for the usual clothes, books and bedding, don’t forget to add the most important task: insuring their belongings.

College students own a long list of expensive items – computers, printers, iPods, TVs, etc.  But living in a dorm or university community allows for ample opportunities for theft or damage. According to a survey conducted by the Independent Insurance Agents of America, Inc., (IIAA) more than 100,000 property crimes on college campuses are reported to police each year, and thieves steal an average of $1,250 in student property per theft.

At Hunter Insurance, we want to inform you of two types of ways that you can use an insurance policy to protect your student for the upcoming school year:

1. Using Your Homeowners Policy: If your child lives in a dorm or other college-owned property, their possessions are typically covered automatically against loss, theft, and damage under your homeowners policies. However, coverage is often limited to only 10 percent of the policy's coverage for contents. Therefore, if your policy covers contents for $100,000, the limit for your student's materials would be $10,000.

2. Renters Insurance: If your child doesn't live in college-owned housing, your homeowners policy won't provide coverage. Fortunately, however, there is the option to take out a renter’s insurance policy for about $15 to $30 a month. Similar to homeowners insurance, these types of policies come in two basic forms: Actual cash-value policies cover the value of the item at the time of loss, taking depreciation into account, and replacement-value policies cover the cost of replacing the lost item with a new one. Replacement-value policies cost more, though both types are subject to the coverage limits.

Protecting what matters most to you is our biggest priority at Hunter Insurance, and we know that the safety of your children is yours. Before your child settles into their college residence, call us at 769-9500 to discuss your options.  You won’t regret knowing your child, and their belongings, are safe and secure.

Standard policies cover damage caused by trees and branches

One of the most frequent questions we field is whether homeowners insurance covers fallen trees and branches. If a tree hits an insured structure such as a house or detached garage, standard homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for the damage to the structure and the contents within. That includes trees knocked over by a windstorm, hail, weight of ice, snow or sleet.

Furthermore, it does not matter whether a tree was actually growing on your property; if it lands on your home, you should file a claim with your insurance company. After a hurricane or windstorm trees, shrubs and branches can become projectiles capable of traveling significant distances. Insurance companies do not waste time trying to locate exactly where the tree originally lived.

In cases involving a felled tree located on a neighbor's property, the policyholder's insurance company may try to collect from a neighbor's insurance company in a process called subrogation. That sometimes occurs if the tree was in poor health or not properly maintained. If the insurer is successful, you may be reimbursed for the deductible.

If a tree hits an insured structure, there is also coverage for the cost of removing the tree, generally up to about $500 to $1,000, depending on the insurer and the type of policy purchased. If the fallen tree did not hit an insured structure, there is generally no coverage for debris removal; however, some insurance companies may pay for the cost of removing it if the felled tree blocks a driveway or a ramp designed to assist the handicapped.

Cars damaged or destroyed by falling trees are covered under the comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy.

Standard home insurance polices also provide coverage for damage to trees and shrubs due to fire, lightning, explosion, theft, aircraft, vehicles not owned by the resident, vandalism and malicious mischief. Coverage for such disasters is generally limited to up to 5 percent of the amount of insurance on the structure of the house. Generally, most insurers will limit the coverage to about $500 for any one tree, shrub or plant. Trees and plants grown for business purposes require a separate business insurance policy.