SC Wind and Hail Insurance

A reminder about hour SC Wind and Hail coverage in Myrtle Beach:

Hurricane Season 2011 is in full swing, and they are predicting a very active one.  If you have a condo or home at the beach, please keep in mind that most of the homeowner policies will not include coverage for wind damage.  There are a few that do, but if you're in the state mandated wind zones, you'll need a separate policy.  See our webpage for SC Wind and Hail Insurance or contact us for more information.

It takes a couple of weeks for a policy to be approved and take effect, so don't wait till a hurricane is approaching before you decide to get your policy!

Myrtle Beach SC Rental Insurance - Got any?

Do You Know The Value Of Your Belongings?
Make it a New Year’s Resolution to Protect Your Property
By: John Heid

As we head into 2011, renters should ask themselves this simple question: If your apartment suffers sever damage due to a storm, burns down, or is burglarized, would you have money to replace your personal belongings? Make it a New Year’s Resolution to contact an Allstate agent about renters insurance.

Most renters don’t realize their landlord’s insurance covers only the building structure and not tenants’ possessions. Well, for about the price of a large pizza per month, you can protect all of your valuables. Renters insurance is available to protect personal belongings from fire, theft, vandalism, and damage from faulty plumbing.

Renters insurance also can cover more than personal belongings. Options are available to cover the renter if a guest is injured while in the apartment or if the policyholder or family member causes damage to another property. There are also options to cover reasonable increases in certain living expenses necessary to maintain your normal standard of living, for up to the amount of time specified in the policy, if a covered loss makes your residence uninhabitable.

“Most people need to be educated about the advantages of renters insurance,” said Allstate spokesman John Heid. “Renters are surprised to learn just how much they risk losing without proper insurance for both their personal belongings and personal liability.”

Allstate Insurance Company wants you to become familiar with the facts about protecting yourself and your property in a rental situation:

According to recent FBI statistics, 70.3% of all burglary offenses occurred in homes, condos, or apartments, with an average loss of $2,079 per burglary.

Renters insurance may cover you against theft both at home and away from home. This coverage includes protection against robbery, pickpocket theft, and even credit card loss, forged checks, and counterfeit money.

Discounts are available to renters who are age 55 or older, and to those whose dwellings have a protective device, such as fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, burglar alarms, and dead bolt locks. This includes a discount to renters who live in buildings that provide 24-hour security personnel.

You can increase your coverage for certain losses based on your individual needs, such as for jewelry, silverware, and personal computers.

Coverage and discounts are subject to availability and qualifications. Other terms, conditions and exclusions may apply.  For more information on SC Renters Insurance or SC Homeowners Insurance, see our website!
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To contact John Heid:

Email: john.heid@allstate.com
Phone Number: (678) 589-6102

Car Insurance Tips - How to Avoid Deer-Car Collisions

Photo from http://www.theputnamscoop.com/, a government site for Putnam, WV. 

Tips to Avoid Deer-Car Collisions

By John Heid

Now that fall has arrived, we enter deer season which means more deer will be seen crossing roads and highways. Drivers need to be aware of their surroundings so that they can avoid deer collisions.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, there are 1.6 million deer-vehicle collisions annually, resulting in 150 occupant deaths, more than 10,000 injuries and over $3.6 billion in vehicle damage.

“Once the first frost arrives, male deer activity increases and we see more auto and deer collisions,” says Allstate agent Scott Todd. “Drivers need to be extra cautious when driving to make sure that they do not hit deer running across the road. Not only can the deer be harmed, but it is also a dangerous situation for the passengers in the vehicle, not to mention the potential damage to an automobile.”

Allstate Insurance Company offers the following tips for avoiding deer and auto collision from the I.I.I.:

• Deer are not just found on rural roads near wooded areas, many deer crashes occur on busy highways near cities.
• Deer are unpredictable, especially when faced with glaring headlights, blowing horns and fast-moving vehicles. They often dart into traffic.
• Deer often move in groups. If you see one, there are likely more in the vicinity.
• Drive with caution when moving through deer-crossing zones, in areas known to have a large deer population and in areas where roads divide agricultural fields from forestland.
• Always wear your seat belt and stay awake, alert and sober.
• When driving at night, use high beam headlights when there is no oncoming traffic. The high beams will better illuminate the eyes of deer on or near the roadway.
• Be especially attentive from sunset to midnight and during the hours shortly before and after sunrise. These are the highest risk times for deer-vehicle collisions.
• Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path, but stay in your lane. Many serious crashes occur when drivers swerve to avoid a deer and hit another vehicle or lose control of their cars.
• Do not rely on devices such as deer whistles, deer fences and reflectors to deter deer. These devices have not proven effective.

For more information on safety topics, see our SC Car Insurance pages on our website, or contact us at (843) 249-6317.

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To contact John Heid:

Email: john.heid@allstate.com

Phone Number: (678) 589-6102

Identity Theft Insurance Can Give You Peace of Mind

Modern-day life is complex and becoming more confusing every day. From online banking to electronic medical records, it sometimes can seem as though the entire world has access to your most private information.

Unfortunately, with more than 9 million Americans victimized by identity theft each year with an average loss of roughly $5,000, the risk of privacy invasion and overt fraud is very real. One way to combat this growing problem is with an identity theft insurance policy.

Identity theft insurance provides an additional layer of protection against unauthorized charges and costs related to the illegal use of your Social Security number, credit card, or banking and other private data.

What Is Covered

Most identity theft policies pay for out-of-pocket expenses, including lost wages, certified mail, notary and legal fees, and other miscellaneous charges. According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, victims spend an average of 22 workdays trying to dispute charges and rectify records.

Is it a Good Investment?

Critics note that credit card balances are already covered if properly reported in the required period of time, but that does little to assist victims with the additional costs incurred to restore their credit and banking data. With a policy often costing less than $100 per year, most experts believe it's a small price to pay for peace of mind.

If you'd like more information on identity theft insurance, homeowners insurance, or South Carolina car insurance with the lowest rates around, visit our website at http://www.carolinapolicies.com/ or give us a call. We'll be glad to answer all your questions.

SC Homeowners Insurance - Fire Prevention

By John Heid
Oct. 3-9, 2010 is National Fire Prevention Week
Fire Safety Tips from Allstate:
Don't Forget to Check Smoke Detectors, Plan Escape Route

In conjunction with National Fire Prevention Week, Allstate is trying to get the word about fire safety tips so that consumers need to make sure they are prepared in case a fire breaks out.

 

Fire safety is an important issue for everybody to think about, By following the tips below, hopefully the only things that consumers lose in a fire are their possessions.

~ Scott, Your Myrtle Beach Allstate Agent

• Check the batteries in your smoke detectors often. Keep extra batteries on hand and replace them every six months.
• Check your smoke detectors monthly. Replace any that are 10 years or older. Make sure     everyone knows that the piercing sound means danger, and they should escape quickly.
• Position detectors smartly. Place one on every level of your home and near areas where you and your family sleep.
• Keep detectors away from heating and cooling ducts and at least six inches from where walls and ceilings meet.
• Keep fire extinguishers handy. Make sure there’s at least one on each floor – especially near the kitchen, garage, laundry room and workshop.
• Talk with your family and make sure everyone knows what to do in case a fire breaks out. Make sure you have two ways out of your house.
• Create a fire safety plan, with a designated meeting place.

The following tips are for residents of high-rise buildings in the event of a fire.

Go down the window fire escape if your building has one.
If your building does not have a window fire escape, take the following actions:

1. Feel the door to the hall with the back of your hand. If it is hot, put a wet towel along the floor crack to keep smoke out. Go to the window and wave a colorful cloth to catch the attention of firefighters.
2. If the door to the hall does not feel hot, leave the apartment and go down the nearest stairs. In the event of a fire, never try to take an elevator. If the power in the burning building fails, you could be trapped.
3. If the hall is filled with smoke, get down close to the floor and crawl to the nearest stairs.  You will breathe in less smoke if you stay low.

For more information on fire safety topics, contact us at Todd Insurance Agency
(843) 249-6317.
Get an online quote on SC Homeowners Insurance or on SC Car Insurance from our website!
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To contact John Heid:
Email: john.heid@allstate.com
Phone Number: (678) 589-6102

 

Child Car Seats: One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Your Child Deserves To Be Safe

No parent would intentionally compromise the safety of his or her child. Unfortunately, when it comes to passenger safety, an innocent error can lead to tragedy. In addition, many parents don’t realize that children need the protection of a booster seat until they are at least eight years old.

With the National Highway Traffic Safety Authority’s Child Passenger Safety Week being held Sept. 19-25, 2010, now is the perfect time to think about having your child safety seat inspected. As part of Child Passenger Safety Week, the NHTSA is culminating the week with National Seat Check Saturday on Sept. 25, 2010.

Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death and injury among children under eight in the United Sates. Despite very high levels of safety seat ownership and virtually universal access to safety belts, adults still take chances with children and do not use these safety systems on every ride. Such inconsistency has led to tragic outcomes, with adults confessing,
“I didn’t think it could happen to my child.”

As a SC car insurance agent, I urge parents not to let it be said too late.  You are always better safe than sorry. Children belong in safety seats until they are eight years old.

Many parents believe that by complying with child passenger safety laws they are providing adequate protection for their children. Those laws, however, do not specify the type of safety restraints needed for the child and how to use it properly. In fact, most laws do not require child safety restraints at all for children between the ages of four and eight, even though kids in that age group are not yet ready for adult restraints.

Allstate Insurance Company and SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. offer the following information to parents:

• After determining the kind of car seat you want to purchase, consult your vehicle owner’s manual to verify if your car type is compatible with your initial car seat determination.
• Parents should read their car seat manual before attempting to secure the seat.
• Babies should ride in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least one year old and weigh 20 pounds.
• Children at least one year old and 20 pounds may face forward in car seats
• Convertible seats can be used in both the rear and forward facing positions.
• Children age 12 and younger should always ride in the back seat of the car
• Experts say the center position of the vehicle back seat is the safest place for a car seat. In a van, the center row of seats is preferred
• Never place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a car unless the passenger air bag can be turned off. The force of the air bag deploying could cause serious injury or death.
• A car seat should be firmly secured in the back seat of the vehicle. In most vehicles, the safety belt system is used to hold the car seat in place.
• To secure a safety seat, the belts must be locked.
• When used for a newborn, a rear-facing infant seat should be positioned at a 45 degree, semi-reclined angle to prevent his head from flopping forward. If necessary, a rolled towel may be placed under the car seat below the baby’s feet to help achieve the 45-degree angle.
• A front-facing car seat should be positioned fully upright.

Author: John Heid
Email: john.heid@allstate.com
Phone Number: (678) 589-6102

About the Allstate Corporation

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the “You’re In Good Hands With Allstate®” slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®.

**Reminder: Hurricane Season is in full swing! Be sure your SC Homeowners Insurance is up to date and you have Wind and Hail coverage!

Homeowners Insurance and Your College Superstars

Lesson #1 For College Students:

Make Sure Your Stuff is Covered Before Coming to Campus

As millions of students pack bags, crates and trunks with their most valuable possessions and head to colleges and universities this fall, many probably aren’t thinking about what might happen after they arrive. With a full load of classes, exams and social events on their minds, students may not give much thought about protecting their clothes, electronic gadgets and other valuables in their college homes away from home – but they should.

Whether a student lives in a fraternity or sorority house, a college dorm or somewhere off campus, protecting their possessions against disasters, damage and theft should be an assignment that’s completed before showing up at school. Students might think they’re covered under their parents’ policies, but it’s important to clear up any uncertainty and get some definite answers on proper insurance coverage.

What you learn in class is very important, but it’s equally important for students to fully understand how their valuables are protected before bringing them to campus,

Allstate has answers to some popular questions among college students and their parents:

Are college students covered under their parents’ homeowners policies?

Students who live in campus dormitories, fraternity or sorority housing, are covered under their parents’ Allstate homeowners, renters, condominium or manufactured home policies. This coverage also applies for students who attend out-of-state colleges. There is no extra cost for this extended personal property protection for college students and contents are covered 100% up to the inside limits and amounts stated in the policy. However, highly valuable items may require their own protection in order to recover their full value.

What are scheduled personal property endorsements?

If students want to have any highly valued items with them at school, such as jewelry, electronic devices, musical instruments, etc., it’s a good idea to make sure they have proper insurance coverage in order to recoup the full value of these types of items if they disappear or get damaged. A scheduled personal property endorsement allows you to protect specific, high value items without having them affect any policy limits. For example, coverage for electronic data processing equipment may be limited to $2,500, depending on the policy. But a laptop computer loaded with the latest software and wireless Internet gadgets may be worth more. However, with a scheduled personal property endorsement, you may increase the amount of coverage on a particular item, without impacting coverage limits that may apply to other items.

What if I rent an apartment?

For students who choose to pay rent for off campus, non-university related housing, it’s recommended that they secure their own renters insurance policies for proper coverage of their valuables. Coverage of personal property, for those not living in student dormitories, fraternity or sorority housing, may be limited to only 10 % when personal property is located at a residence other than the one stated in an Allstate SC homeowners insurance policy.

If you’re living in an apartment off campus while at school, it’s really important to have your own renters insurance to provide the same type of full protection other renters and home owners enjoy,

Would my fraternity or sorority house have its own insurance?

A fraternity or sorority may have its own commercial insurance policy to protect against structural damage caused by severe weather, fire, etc. Depending on the policy, it might not apply to the personal contents of students living in the house.

Your home at school should enjoy the same protection as your permanent home. Your path towards earning a college degree should be free and clear of pitfalls resulting from damage or theft of personal items that make your home away from home a special place. Having the proper level of coverage on your most prized possessions is a lesson that may pay off long after you’ve left the classroom.

For more information on South Carolina renters insurance, check out our website or give us a call!

Author: John Heid, Allstate
About the Allstate Corporation
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the “You’re In Good Hands With Allstate®” slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®.