Month: March 2016

3 Tips for Preparing Your Home Against an Unexpected Disaster

Posted on by AgentInsure

If an emergency situation happened today, would you be ready? Here are three tips for preparing your home against an unexpected disaster.

#1: Have a Stockpile of Emergency Supplies

To prepare for an unexpected disaster, it is important to have a stockpile of emergency supplies on hand in case you need them. This often includes dry goods, a first aid kit, and extra clothing. Also, your collection doesn’t have to be that large. It really only needs to include a couple days’ worth of food and basic medical supplies. Be sure to remember bottled water, too.

#2: Keep Lighting and Tools Accessible

Another thing you can do to help protect yourself against an emergency event is by keeping lighting and tools easily accessible. It is advised that you have a flashlight with batteries, candles with matches, or a combination thereof in each room in your house. Having a small tool kit can also be very helpful in case you need to turn off a broken utility main or simply make a quick repair while you wait hours for emergency responders.

#3: Have an Emergency Plan in Place

Having an emergency plan in place is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your home and family against a catastrophic event. Make sure everyone has access to a list of emergency phone numbers and knows how to escape in the event of an incident. You will also want to discuss what to do if you are ever separated in a major crisis. (For example, everyone meets and Grandma’s house in a nearby city, etc.)

In addition to taking the abovementioned precautions, it is also important to ensure you have adequate property coverage prior to an incident. At Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. , we help our customers determine exactly what level of homeowner’s insurance they need to protect their home. Please contact our team today for more information.

 

Must-Have Tools for Tire Breakdowns You Should Always Have

Posted on by AgentInsure

We see them on the highway as we drive by, the car stopped on the side of the road, and it’s owner looking at a flat tire as if willing it will somehow inflate the rubber and get the person back on the asphalt again. However, we rarely assume we could be that person stranded until it happens and our car tire pressure signal light comes up, predicting an imminent problem very soon in our travel. While we can’t always guarantee our vehicles will work correctly, we can anticipate trouble and prepare for it. And having the right tools is critical.

Here’s the must-have list for any tire breakdown anywhere:

  • The standard tire wrench comes with every car, but it’s amazing how often people remove it. Don’t. Leave the tool in the car.
  • The jack. This fantastic tool uses physics to lift weight exponentially greater than itself. It’s essential to raise a car’s weight to replace a tire.
  • A rubber mallet. Car dealers don’t include this tool in a new car, but it should always be added. If you don’t have the strength to turn a tire wrench and move a fully-tightened tire nut, then you’re going to need something that can force the wrench to turn. The mallet uses brute force, but it works very well.
  • Eye protection. Things have a way of sparking or bouncing off of tools. Getting a bit of metal or road grit in your eye will make it temporarily impossible to fix anything. A good pair of eye protection glasses can be found at any hardware store.
  • Basic leather or mechanic’s gloves. The same way you protect your eyes, you need to protect your hands with tools. Even a machine can cut a hand under pressure. Protect yourself.

Peter Laczko Insurance Inc. can help with car damage and accident protection via insurance, but also being prepared for a flat will ensure your ability to get back on the road quickly.