Mary Belcher Insurance Agent

We survived Snowmageddon.....now what?

Here are 5 tips to help protect your home, family, and assets!

✅ Clear snow off your roof with a snow rake to reduce the weight on your roof especially for older homes. Be sure to check your ceiling and attic for any leaks in order to get ahead of any major damage or concerns.

✅ Clear utility Vents as deep snow can block your furnace and hot water tank exhaust pipes ultimately causing Carbon Monoxide to back up into the home

✅ Make sure you have working Carbon Monoxide detectors, not only could blocked vents be a cause for Carbon Monoxide, your furnace is working overtime with these fridgid days. A faulty furnace can cause Carbon Monoxide to enter the home as well.

✅ Check for ice dams, it could be heat loss from your home or even heat from the sun in the few days after the storm that can cause an ice dam to build on your roof, be sure to keep an eye on any interior ceilings and walls for moisture and damage. Call a professional immediately!

✅ Be sure to fully clear off your car before driving, not only could you potentially face a misdemeanor charge for reckless driving, it poses a huge threat to other drivers on the road and over time it eventually becomes a catapulting piece of ice which could hold you liable for any damages to another vehicle.

As much as a pain these storms can be, we as Western New Yorkers must remind ourselves, we don't have alligators, Hurricanes, or big weird bugs....which is why we live where the air hurts our face... Be safe out there!

I love this part of my job!

When binding a home we usually have to inspect it in some shape or form whether it's a quick driveby to make sure there are no boarded up windows or getting out to take pictures of the property.

This is my favorite part as it allows me to get some fresh air in the middle of my work day along with getting to meet my clients in person.

Yesterday afternoon was perfect for this! When I pulled up to my last client of the day she was out spray painting a project in her driveway, we were able to chat a bit and get to know each other as people. I also love that I have the ability to bring a little "thank you for your business" gift that people can actually use! Along with this I usually drop off a holder for car insurance cards as well for quick accessability if ever the need arises.

In a world of business via phone and esign, it's nice to bring back some humanity to business and get to associate a face and a handshake to a voice on the phone.

What do you miss the most now that the world has switched to so many automated systems?

You don't wake up expecting to hit black ice and slide into the back of someone.

But it happens....

Every safe driver has a moment of disctraction, whether your phone is ringing and you look down to hit the ignore button on your steering wheel, or your child is screaming their head off because they CLEARLY are overdue for a nap.

S**t happens, it's just a part of life.

The real question is are you cruising around town with state minimum coverage because you're a "safe driver" or are you protected in the event of a serious accident?

Your liability limits don't just protect other people in the event you are at fault, they also protect you when the other person is uninsured or underinsured. I've talked with the people we share the roads with and with the constant increase in parts and labor do you really want to roll the dice?

Happy Sunday!!

Who's ready for the big game today???

Personally at this point I'm just rooting for my squares....

I've recently had some questions regarding umbrella policies and would love to test your knowledge!

Which of the following situations is covered by a Personal Umbrella Policy?

A) A child falls off a backyard playground at an in home daycare, that watches 15 kids. The adult that was supervising was distracted with another child and did not see the child fall. The parents sue and win for medical bills and negligence.

B) You host a wedding on your property and rent a bouncy house. The house is not staked down and blows away in the wind with children inside of it. The kids are fine, but you’re sued for negligence. The families of the children are awarded $100,000 each for mental and post-traumatic stress.

C) Your child and their friends thought it would be a fun idea to steal a car and go 80mph down 390. They lose control of the vehicle and hit 2 other cars and injure the 3 passengers in the stolen car. Your child was driving so they sue you for medical bills and pain and suffering.

Comment your answer below and I'll have your answer next weekend!

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