Informative articles on insurance, safety and risk for you, your family or your business. Each article includes a link for you to share with anyone who may benefit.
The first month of a new year is a time when we make resolutions to better tend to our physical and mental health, as well as the health of our relationships. We'll work out three times a week, we promise. We'll finally sign up for those guitar lessons we've been so shy about taking, we vow. We'll have regular Sunday dinners with the entire family, no ifs, ands, or buts.
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Things change around the house during the holidays. One family member is perched on a sky-high ladder hanging up festive lights on your home's exterior. Another is slaving over a hot stove for hours on end. Youngsters are playing on all sorts of unfamiliar, newfangled toys. And there's often a huge, flammable tree in the living room. Needless to say, the opportunities for accidents are many during this time of year. While we hope to let a sense of joy and gratitude reign over this month in North Carolina, it's also prudent to be cautious and take a few steps to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your property during this vulnerable time.
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Asbestos is a hidden health hazard that can lurk right in the place where you should feel the safest: home. While those who work in the construction industry are considered the most vulnerable to asbestos exposure, especially repeated exposure, it's important to keep in mind that even very limited exposure-such as what you might experience during a simple renovation project-can have long-term negative effects. Make it a priority to prevent you and your family members from coming into contact with this dangerous material.
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Homeownership is one of the great American dreams, an achievement virtually all of us aspire to. There's something about having a little part of planet Earth to call your own that inspires a sense of both security and pride. Getting the keys to your very first home is almost always cause for celebration: you open the door, cross the threshold, and enter your very own castle - whether it be an apartment, a condo, or a single-family home - and prepare to reign happily over a kingdom characterized by peace, coziness, and serenity, a haven and sanctuary from the travails of the world outside.
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What would we do without our handy power strips? Those convenient blocks of electrical sockets, which enable us to convert one outlet into several, make it possible to plug in all the gear that we can't live without these days. A typical location for a power strip is the home office, where it helps computers, speakers, printer, monitors, and all sorts of other necessities come to life. But many households have power strips in multiple rooms, if not every room, since there are so many items that require plugging in these days. Hairstyling tools, cooking equipment, and phone chargers come to mind!
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For most of the children in the North Carolina, the end of August means those lazy dog days of summer are coming to a close, and those books and desks are what will be opening up next. For parents, the back-to-school season is a great time of year to look over insurance policies, and make sure they are up to date. Here are some insurance situations to consider as the kiddos hit the books.
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Contractors are people, too. What does that mean? Well, even though they may have licenses and many years of experience in their profession, they are fallible. There are good ones and bad ones. Some are ethical and honest, while others seem to be missing a conscience. Just as you would be careful about choosing a nanny, a personal accountant, or a used car salesman, so should you use caution in selecting a contractor before you begin that home building project, renovation, or repair. Here are some good tips to avoid getting taken for a ride:
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Sometimes, what appears to be an impenetrably solid roof above your head actually has little openings through which the rain can leak. The same is true of some car insurance and homeowner's insurance policies; they can appear to provide sufficient coverage, but, in the event of an accident of some sort, you may find yourself drowning in debt. To avoid getting soaked by surprising expenses, use an umbrella; umbrella insurance, that is.
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No one revels in the delights of summer like a kid. North Carolina schools are out, the sun is high and hot, and the long days are filled with light and the prospect of innumerable adventures. In fact, because there is so much potential for adventure-much of it unsupervised-many parents opt to enroll their kids in one or more summer camps in hopes that having a set schedule and a series of planned activities in which to participate will keep the youngsters out of trouble and, most importantly, out of harm's way. But summer seems to invite as many childhood accidents as it does moments of bliss, and no matter how structured a kid's summer is, a certain amount of mishaps are inevitable. The warm weather inspires a whole new slew of activities, many of which require an increased attention to safety on the part of both kids and parents. Use the following three tips to keep kids safer this summer:
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Home sweet home is an obvious place to give a good scrubbing once springtime in North Carolina arrives. It's time to wipe the grime out of every nook and cranny, wash the carpets and curtains, and pack away the space heaters and down blankets.
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