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  • Auto and Home Insurance for Unmarried Couples
    Sixty years ago, when the 1950 census data was released, it showed that eight in 10 households were occupied by married couples. Fifty years later, the 2000 census data showed that number had declined to just over 50%, signifying a sea change in the typical American household. Almost half of households were occupied by a single individual, roommates or unmarried couples (the 2010 census data is still in the process of being made public).
  • What to do Before, During and After Thunderstorms
    Before, During and After a Thunderstorm.
  • What You Need to Know About Shady Home Contractors, Remodeling & Hiring Day Laborers
    Ah, summertime, and the living is easy. Perfect for sitting in the shade out back with a cold drink. You may even decide this is the perfect time to finally add that deck, enlarge the patio for cookouts, or put in that new landscaping with a couple of strategically placed trees perfect for a comfortable hammock.
  • What Everyone Should Know About Insuring Property in Storage
    The other day while flipping through the channels I stumbled upon a reality show about people who bid on items in abandoned storage units- sometimes finding items valued in the tens of thousands of dollars. I thought of my family and friends who had storage units and the kinds of items they kept in there- and it ran the gamut from golf clubs to furniture to ski equipment.  According to the Self Storage Association, 10.8 million people in the US rent a self-storage unit. If you’re one of those 10.8 million people you should ask yourself, do I have insurance coverage for my property in storage?
  • Insuring Your Happily Ever After
    Getting married and embarking on a new life together is one of the most exciting experiences in two people’s lives. It’s a time of hope, promise, romance and … reality. Whether a couple is planning their wedding or deciding where to live, there are a lot of decisions to make before saying “I do,” especially when it comes to insurance.
  • Changing Your Address Means Changing Your Insurance
    May is National Moving Month and every year more than 40 million Americans will move, according to the American Moving and Storage Association. As you pack up your belongings and move across town or across the country, make sure you don’t forget to “pack” your insurance coverage.
  • Spring Forward: Spring Cleaning and Safety Updates
    Temperatures are getting warmer and now that it’s spring, it’s time for spring cleaning and making spring time repairs around the house. Taking care of our homes is important, so take a moment to understand how taking care of things around the house can impact your insurance.
  • A Little Less than Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: Insurance and Tax Issues with Nannies and Housekeepers
    With more and more families every year having both parents work full time, there has been an increasing need for help around the house with childcare and chores like cleaning, laundry and running errands. If you’re hiring household help it’s important to understand how having domestic workers (including nannies, housekeepers, caretakers, etc.) around your home can impact not only your insurance coverage- both your auto and your homeowners- but also how it could have tax implications for you. If you don’t understand these issues, the result could be something quite atrocious.
  • Congratulations Class of 2013: Now It’s Time to Graduate to Your Own Insurance!
    While every individual has unique needs, here are a few  insurance coverage options that all college grads should consider.
  • Summer Storm Recovery Tips
    Independent insurance agents not only advise clients about insurance, but they’re disaster readiness consultants. It is imperative to know what your risks are and what to do in the
    event of a hurricane. We recommend meeting with a Trusted Choice® independent insurance agent who can consult with you in assessing your risks and ensuring that you, your family and your home are prepared in the event of a disaster. Trusted Choice® offers many disaster-specific readiness and recovery tips for consumers.
  • Be Prepared for a Disaster
    Independent insurance agents not only advise clients about insurance, but they’re disaster readiness consultants. It is imperative to know what your risks are and what to do in the
    event of any natural disaster. We recommend meeting with a Trusted Choice® independent insurance agent who can consult with you in assessing your risks and ensuring that you, your family and your home are prepared in the event of a disaster. Trusted Choice® offers many disaster-specific readiness and recovery tips for consumers.
  • New Development, New Flood Risk
    One factor to consider when evaluating your risk of flooding is development and new construction in your area.
  • Landscape Ready: Utility Marking, Underground Septic & Sewer Back-Up
    Homeowners: Before you hit a gusher—and we aren't talking oil—get the 811 from Trusted Choice.
  • Avoid a Bracket Busting Claim: Insuring Special Events
    It’s time for March Madness! Are you planning a blowout that will make render an entirely new meaning to “bracket busting?” Has your neighborhood community center asked for a either a hold-harmless agreement or a damage deposit exceeding your current mortgage payment?

    Welcome to the world of personal event risk management!
  • Earth Day and Going “Green” with Your Homeowners Insurance
    "I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the natural resources of our land; but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob, by wasteful use, the generations that come after us." – Theodore Roosevelt
    With Earth Day on April 22nd, Roosevelt’s call for responsible use of resources remains as relevant today as when he wrote it over a century ago, and many Americans are taking up the call as part of the “green” movement, particularly in the areas of construction and building. Whether you’re building a new home or are interested in retrofitting your home to be a “green” home, it’s important to recognize how taking these steps to make your home more environmentally friendly may require some special “green” insurance to protect them.
What to do Before, During and After Thunderstorms
Getting Started  Home Inventory   Flood   Hurricanes    Thunderstorms   Tornado   Earthquake   Wildfire  Find an Agent 

golfer.jpgJune 24-30 is Lightning Safety Awareness Week. According to the National Weather Service, lightning strikes account for an average of 54 deaths per year in the United States, so when thunderstorms are in the forecast, it’s usually a sign to head indoors and if you have to put away the golf clubs for a few hours or head in off of the lake to wait out the storm, it’s worth it.  Here are some tips on what to do before, during and after a thunderstorm.

Before a thunderstorm
  • Remove dead tree branches near your house which could ignite and cause a fire if
     struck by lightning.
  • Unplug all appliances before the storm hits to prevent power surges.
  • Close blinds and shades.
     
During a thunderstorm
  • Keep away from windows.
  • Avoid using the phone. Telephone lines can conduct electricity.
  • Stay away from faucets, sinks and bathtubs.
  • If you are in or near water, go to land immediately and find the best shelter you can—
    preferably inside a building rather than a car.
  • If you're in a car, keep the windows closed. Pull to the side of the road to wait until the
     heavy rain subsides. Keep away from trees that could fall on your car.
  • If you are outside, find a location that is not likely to flood. Avoid tall structures, such
     as towers, trees, fences, telephone lines or power lines.
  • Squat low to the ground and assume a tucked position. Place your hands on your knees
     with your head tucked between them. Try to touch as little of your body to the ground as
     possible. Do not lie flat on the ground, as your fully-extended body will provide a larger
     surface to conduct electricity.
  • If you feel your hair stand on end in a storm, drop into the tuck position immediately.
     This sensation means electrical charges are already running up your body from the
     ground toward an electrically charged cloud. If you can minimize your contact with the
     ground, you will minimize your injury.

After a thunderstorm

  • Once lightning has struck a person or an object, the person or object does not carry a
     charge and cannot harm you. So don't be afraid to touch or assist a person who needs
     help. Administer first aid or CPR immediately. A lightning victim usually suffers burns
     in two places on the body—where the lightning entered and where it exited.

 If you have questions about how your homeowners insurance protects your property from damage from lightning, contact a Trusted Choice ® independent agent.

 

Next:  Before, During and After a Tornado


Getting Started  Home Inventory   Flood   Hurricanes    Thunderstorms   Tornado   Earthquake   Wildfire  Find an Agent 

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Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 800.221.7917
Fax: 703.683.7556
Email: Trusted.Choice@iiaba.net