Kate Betts

How to save money on your Atlanta heating bill this winter

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Save on your heating bill with these tips.

Save on your heating bill with these tips.

Okay, so maybe Atlanta isn’t the coldest place in which one could spend a winter. But it can still get pretty darn cold. Now that we’re well into November, it won’t be long until we’re all bee-lining it for our thermostats to crank up the heat – and chewing our fingernails as we wait for the heating bill to arrive. Even in Hot-lanta, heating bills in the winter can be killer, which is why we’ve got some tips to help you save money on your heating bill.

1. Invest in a comfy, warm winter wardrobe.

Bring on the fuzzy socks and sweatshirts! Love the flannel pajama pants! Revel in the comfort of your favorite sweats! Rather than turning the temperature up so you can wear your short-sleeved T-shirt and cotton pants, keep the thermostat down and wear layers instead. Your body’s pretty good at making its own heat, so wear clothes that will trap it and keep you warm. This will help you save energy and money.

2. Welcome the sunlight and save money on your heating bill.

You can get some natural, solar heat to pour into your home by opening the curtains or blinds on your windows during the day. Sunlight is free! Use it to get some extra heat energy in your house. There’s a reason the cat always curls up by the window. Just don’t forget to close the curtains at night to trap the heat inside.

3. Turn the temperature down at night.

Get some warm bedding, like flannel sheets and a down comforter, and turn your thermostat down before you go to bed every night. Like we said, your body gives off heat. Use warm blankets to take advantage of it. Now, we’re not talking making your home into the Arctic. Remember, the name of the game is conserving energy – it’s a great way to make your home a little more green.

4. Use your ceiling fans.

Huh? Isn’t that counterproductive? Not if you run the fans in reverse. Hot air rises, which doesn’t do you much good when it gets trapped way above your head. If you run the fans in reverse on a low setting, it’ll push the hot air back to where you are.

5. Take it easy with the kitchen/bathroom fans.

Don’t let your bathroom or kitchen fans run all the time. Turn them off right after you’re done using them, or try not to use them at all. They’ll suck the hot air right out of a room.

Rather than turning the tempreature up, bundle up in warm clothes and save money on your heating bill.

6. Get a furnace check-up.

It’s also a good idea to take care of your furnace by having it checked by a trustworthy professional once a year. This will help your furnace do its best work.

7. Move the furniture away from the vents.

Don’t block your vents with couches and chairs and other furniture. This will prevent the hot air from the vent from getting into the areas of the house that you want it to be. Clear a path for the warm air.

8. Close the damper on your fireplace when you’re not using it.

Leaving the damper open can let hot air escape through the chimney. When you’re not using your fireplace, close the damper to trap the warm air inside.

9. Get rid of your old heating unit.

Ask yourself honestly – is it time to have a new heating unit? Yes, you might be hesitant, but will it be worth it in the long run? Maybe.

10. Boost your insulation.

If there are parts of your home that seem to be leaking heat, amp up your insulation. This is an easy way to save on your heating bill.

11. Make sure to take care of your furnace.

It’s important to change the filter of your furnace when it’s dirty, which means you should probably check in once a month or so. Then you can make sure there’s a clean filter when your furnace needs one, and this helps make the furnace’s job easier. Make sure to maintain your furnace.

12. Get an energy audit.

If heat loss is a real problem, you might need to get an energy audit. This will tell you where you can improve your energy efficiency. Find a reputable electrical contractor and see what you can do.

High energy bills are an occupational hazard of the winter season. The instinct to combat the shivery weather might be to turn the thermostat up, but there are a few simple things you can do around the house to stay warm without having to resort to drastic measures. So, instead of cranking up the heat, try some of the above tips and save on your heating bill. Stay warm, Atlanta!

Want some quotes on home insurance or renters insurance? We can help with that! All you have to do to get some free quotes for your insurance is fill out our quote form or give us a call today.

Source:

https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2013/11/06/10-ways-to-save-on-energy-costs-this-winter

https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-save-on-heating-costs-1388212

10 tips to protect your Atlanta business from employee theft

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Employee theft is a major risk for businesses.

As an employer, you don’t want to think that your employees would ever steal from you or do anything that could hurt your business. Unfortunately, employee theft is far more prevalent than many business owners think. Small businesses are just as vulnerable to employee theft as large corporations. Your employees could steal merchandise, cash, or even the financial information of your customers. There are a number of reasons that employees might be tempted to put some money into their own pockets – financial stress or worry about job security can be motivators. We’ve got some tips to help you protect your business from employee theft.

1. Develop positive relationships with employees and create a positive workplace atmosphere.

The first tip is simple. It’s important that your employees feel appreciated and that they enjoy their jobs. If there’s a mutual respect between you, it will reduce the temptation to steal. It’s harder to steal from someone you care about than someone you don’t.

2. Make sure everyone knows what employee fraud is.

All of your employees should know what constitutes employee theft. It might not occur to them that certain things are considered fraud – for example, giving freebies or discounts to friends. You also need to emphasize that you won’t tolerate it.

3. Consider adding crime coverage to your BOP.

You can further protect your business by adding coverages to your business owner’s policy (BOP.) One coverage that can help you is crime coverage. This protects you against a variety of illegal acts. Normally you can add between $1,000 and $5,000 of coverage to your business owner’s policy.

4. Divide up the financial responsibilities.

Make sure that one employee isn’t handling all of the financial duties, such as balancing the books, making deposits, etc. It’s more difficult to get away with stealing when multiple people are watching over the financial details.

Also, make sure that your employees have appropriate oversight by management. Many thefts are of opportunity – the money is there and no one’s around to see an enterprising employee take it.

5. Keep an eye on your inventory.

You should do frequent inventories and internal audits for your business. If your employees know that you’re diligent about checking that everything is as it should be, they’ll be less inclined to try to get away with something. Plus, that’ll make it easier for you to catch any abnormalities, too.

6. Have a security or surveillance system.

A surveillance system or CCTV can help you keep an eye on your premises and dissuade theft of all kinds. This will also help you prevent a burglary at your business. Before you hire a company to outfit your business with cameras and monitoring, do some research about how to choose the right company to install your commercial security system.

7. Use clear trash bags.

It’s a bit gross, but sometimes employees will hide things in the trash and go to retrieve them later. To deter people from doing so, use clear trash bags for all trash cans.

8. Don’t keep lots of cash on-hand.

Deposit money to the bank frequently. If someone does steal cash, better $100 than $500. Do what you can to reduce the amount of cash that you have on-site or in your register.

9. Have a procedure for returns and voids.

Make sure that any returns and voids are properly handled – fraudulent returns are another method of stealing from an employer. They should be witnessed by a second employee to make sure that they’re legit. You can also have your point-of-sale system flag excessive returns and voids so that they’re immediately sent to management.

10. Have a way for employees to report suspicious behavior.

Not that you want to turn your employees into informants, but there should be a way for them to let you know about anything they’ve noticed. Preferably there would be an anonymous way for them to do so – that way they don’t have to worry about retaliation or being seen as a tattletale.

Your employees are a huge asset to your business. They’re what keeps the place going. You want to be able to trust your employees, but that doesn’t mean that you have to leave yourself wide open to the possibility of employee theft. You need to reduce the risk of employee theft and protect your business.

Are you looking for business insurance? We’d love to help you shop for your insurance so that you can get the best coverage for the best possible rate. We can get you free quotes for your Atlanta business insurance so that you can compare rates. All you have to do to get started with your quotes is fill out our online form or give us a call.

Atlanta home fire safety: How to prevent an electrical fire this season

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Prevent an electrical fire with these tips.

Prevent an electrical fire with these tips.

The winter months are almost upon us, and that means cold weather and shorter days, even in Atlanta. And cold weather and darkness mean that we’ll begin to rely on out lights and heat even more – in short, we’ll be using more electricity. Since we’re cruising right along through November, it’s not a bad time to discuss a danger that comes from electricity – electrical fires. The winter months actually have some of the highest occurrences of electrical fires, which is why it’s important to make sure you have enough home insurance. But, insurance aside, we’ve got some tips to help you prevent a home electrical fire this winter.

1. Check your appliances and cords.

Old, worn, or fraying cords can cause fires. You should replace and dispose of worn or ragged cords ASAP. You should also make sure that no cords are trapped by rugs or hidden by furniture. This can cause heat to build up, and heat can cause a fire – you don’t actually need a spark or flame, just a lot of trapped heat.

2. Be smart about outlets.

Don’t force a three-pronged cord into a two-prong outlet or extension cord. That’s not how that cord was designed to be used.

3. Plug major appliances directly into the wall.

Air conditioners, heaters, refrigerators, and other appliances should be plugged directly into the wall, not into an extension cord. Keep your appliances in good repair, and keep an eye on your clothes dryer – believe it or not, clothes dryers are fire hazards. Remember, all appliances should be approved by the Underwriters Laboratory.

4. Don’t overload circuits, extension cords, or outlets.

You don’t want to put a strain on circuits or extension cords. Don’t try to make these things handle a load that it wasn’t designed to.

5. Remember that water and electricity don’t mix.

Keep appliances away from places that tend to get wet, like kitchen and bathroom counters. Don’t take any chances. Make sure not to let your appliances get doused.

6. Keep an eye on switches or lights that act suspect.

If any of your light switches are warm to the touch, any lights flicker, or any outlets look strange or discolored, you should call a professional to check out the situation. You should also call a qualified electrician if any appliances have a burning or rubbery odor or you feel a tingle when you touch them. Outlets that spark or are warm – or are otherwise dangerous-looking – should also be investigated by an electrician ASAP.

7. Use arc-fault circuit interrupters and ground fault circuit insulators.

AFCIs will turn off the electricity if something isn’t as it should be. GFCIs will reduce the risk of shock by turning off the circuit if there is a shock hazard. Bathrooms, kitchens, garages, and basements should be equipped with GFCI outlets.

8. Keep flammable items away from your portable heaters.

Anything that could catch fire should be placed at least three feet away from the space heater. That includes clothes, linens, and furniture.

9. Child-proof electrical outlets.

If you have young children, make sure that you’ve safely child-proofed your outlets. Use a child-proofing method that is safe and won’t present a choking hazard. It’s important to know how to child-proof your home.

10. Replace any suspicious power tools.

If any power tools act weird, like sparking or otherwise being dangerous, get rid of them and replace them.

11. Only use light bulbs with the appropriate wattage.

Don’t use a light bulb with a higher wattage or strength than a lamp or other light calls for. It’s important to use the right light bulb for the right appliance. Stick with what the lamp is designed to do.

12. Make sure that you have enough smoke detectors and that they do what they’re supposed to.

It’s so important that you have the proper smoke detectors installed in your home. There should be one outside every bedroom, and you should test them regularly to make sure that they’re working like they’re supposed to. It’s also important to remember to change the batteries every six months – an easy way to make sure that you don’t forget is to do it every Daylight Saving, whenever you change the clocks forward or back. Don’t neglect your smoke detectors. (And, while you’re at it, you may as well add some carbon monoxide detectors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.)

Before winter really sets in and you turn on all your heaters and appliances, take some time to check over your electrical cords and appliances. Don’t forget your fire prevention basics and spend some time talking to your kids about fire safety. Make sure that your home or apartment is fire-safe and ready to weather the winter months.

Do you need home insurance or renters insurance? Great! We would love to get you some quotes for that. We’ll help you get the insurance plan that’s right for your family, and we’ll help you get a great rate for it. To get in touch with one of our insurance professionals, all you have to do is fill out our quote form or give us a call today.

Source:

http://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Top-causes-of-fire/Electrical 

https://www.ready.gov/home-fires

8 simple tips for how to buy the best Atlanta business insurance

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We've got a few tips for buying business insurance.

We've got a few tips for buying business insurance.

Business insurance can be intimidating. It can be hard to know where to start with the process of protecting your business, and since the stakes are high it’s important to make sure that you get the insurance you need. If you’re feeling a bit lost and overwhelmed about how to start your quest to insure your business, fear not, valiant business owner – we have some tips that are going to help you as you venture forth on your mission.

1. Figure out the risks your business faces.

Each business is different, which means that each business has unique risks that need to be covered. You need to consider what risks your business faces every day – and keep in mind that these could be disaster-related risks, such as storms, and liability risks (basically risks relating to your legal responsibility if something goes wrong.) Consider how you can lower these risks and figure out how to disaster plan for your business.

2. Do some research on what coverages might be right for you.

Of course, you’re going to want to enlist some professional help when it comes to covering your business’s risks and getting insurance, but it’s still helpful to know some of the lingo before you move forward. Different coverages cover different risks, and some of them are more industry-specific than others.

Some common coverages are…

  • General liability: Protects your business if someone claims that you caused them bodily harm or damaged their property.
  • Commercial property: Protects your premises from disasters like fire and lightning strikes.
  • Business interruption: Reimburses you for lost income if your business has to close temporarily due to a covered loss.
  • Workers’ compensation: Protects your employees by covering medical expenses and a portion of their lost wages if they get hurt on the job.
  • Professional liability: Protects you if negligence or error causes a customer to have a financial loss.
  • Product liability: Protects your business from claims that one of your products caused someone physical harm.
  • Home-based business coverage: This is one way that you can insure a home-based business. It’s basically an extension of your homeowners insurance policy.

3. Find a trustworthy broker who’s familiar with your industry.

When you’re on a mission to get business insurance, it helps to find an agent who understands your line of work and the risks you face. They need to be knowledgeable about your type of work so they can best advise you on your insurance needs and help you get the best rate for the coverage you need.

You also want to find someone that you can trust, someone who’s not going to put their own interests first. One way to find an agent or broker is to ask your friends and connections within your industry if they have any recommendations for you.

4. Don’t forget about BOPs.

BOPs, or business owner’s policies, are a common package policy for small business owners. A package policy is one that bundles different coverages into one policy. In the case of a BOP, it includes general liability, business interruption, and property insurance.

BOPs are helpful because they’re convenient and could help you save money, so you may want to find out if a BOP is right for you. However, you need to look closely at your risks to see if you need to add coverages to a BOP to make sure you’re fully protected.

5. Consider what deductible and limits of coverage are right for you.

Insurance policies will come with deductibles, which is the amount of money you have to pay before the insurance company will pay the rest of a claim. When choosing a deductible, you need to consider how much money your business can comfortably afford if you face a claim. Choosing a higher deductible can help you save money on your business insurance premium, but you don’t want that deductible to be unrealistic or destructive to your business.

As far as limits are concerned, you need to make sure the limits of coverage on your policies – the maximum amount the insurance company will pay out on a claim – are high enough to protect your business. You don’t want to end up finding out the hard way that your business is underinsured.

6. Go insurance shopping.

It’s important to compare rates from several different companies when you’re shopping for insurance. You’ll want to compare coverages and prices to ensure that you’re getting the best insurance plan for your business for the best price. Companies assess risks differently, meaning that you might find a lower rate by checking around with several different carriers. Keep in mind, though, that you should never sacrifice coverage to save a bit of money.

7. Know what insurance you’re required by law to have.

When you’re on your insurance quest, make sure you look into any insurance requirements that you might need to fulfill. You might be required by state or federal law to carry certain coverages at certain limits. Double check to make sure you’re staying compliant with those laws.

8. Check your business insurance needs every year.

It’s important to reconsider your business’s insurance needs annually because things may have changed. Your business may have grown, meaning you might need to raise your limits of coverage. Maybe there are new risks that you need to cover. Whatever the case may be, it’s advisable to take a good hard look at your business insurance once a year to scout for any changes that might mean you need to adjust your coverage.

Get a business insurance quote.

Getting business insurance may seem like a daunting prospect, and hopefully the above tips are helpful to you as you undertake your quest. If you have any questions at all about your insurance, please feel free to reach out to us. If you want to do some shopping to see if you can save on your rates, we can help with that, too. All you have to do to get started on some business insurance quotes is fill out our quote form or give us a call today. Our team of agents is ready to help you.

Sources: 

https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch/get-business-insurance-assets-liability

10 pro tips for handling a home insurance claim in Atlanta

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Here are our pro tips for handling a home insurance claim.

Filing a home insurance claim can seem like a daunting process. Dealing with damage to your home puts a lot of pressure and stress on you, the least of which is grappling with the insurance claim itself. That’s why we’ve put together our pro tips for handling a home insurance claim. Hopefully, these tips will help the claims process go as smoothly as possible.

1. First things first – be safe.

If you come home and discover a loss or damage, be extremely careful in entering your home. It might not be safe. Exercise your judgment, and if you need to, contact the appropriate emergency personnel to figure out how to proceed.

Report any downed power lines to the utility company, and keep your electricity turned off if there’s standing water in your home.

If it’s really not safe, get out. Don’t take any chances.

2. Contact your insurance company.

Your insurance company will want the who, what, where, when, and how of the situation. They can guide you on how to move forward with the claim and let you know what’s going to happen next. They’ll connect you with a claims handler, which leads us to our third pro tip.

3. Note the claim handler’s information.

Make sure that you take some notes when you talk to your insurance company. Take down the name and phone number of the claims handler so that you can get in touch with them easily.

4. Keep detailed records.

You’re going to have to become the ultimate note-taker. Keep a record of any contact that you have with the insurance company. Note the date, the time, the person that you spoke with, and the details of the conversation. Keep all of this information organized and in one place so that you can reference conversations from any point in the process.

5. If it’s safe, protect your home from further damage.

Take steps to protect your home from additional damage if it’s safe to do so. This is important because your policy might require you to protect your home from damage after an incident.

6. Prepare a list of items that have been lost.

You’re going to need to be able to present your insurance company with a list of items that need to be replaced. This is why taking a home inventory is so important – that way you know exactly what was in your home in the first place and the value of your belongings.

If you have any accessible receipts of major purchases, dig them out and have them ready to present to your insurance company.

7. Don’t move damaged items out of your home.

The claims adjuster will want to see the scene as it is. You can even take pictures or videos of the damage to keep in your personal file – you never know when those could come in handy.

8. Save any receipts for additional living expenses.

If you have to move out of your home temporarily, keep any receipts from your accommodations or other living expenses. Your insurance might cover these expenses, too, so this will make it easier to get reimbursed.

9. Do the paperwork.

The claims adjuster will send over some paperwork and documents that you have to complete. Do the paperwork and return it promptly – don’t delay. Pay attention to any deadlines on the paperwork or documents.

10. Let your mortgage lender know about the loss.

You should let your lender know what happened. They might want to talk to you about contractor bids for reconstruction, and they might have their own protocol for rebuilding or repairing the home and inspecting the work.

We hope that you never have to face a loss to your home. It’s not fun to think about the worst-case-scenario, but that’s what insurance is for. Our goal is to help you build an insurance plan that will help you protect your home and your family. We understand that insurance can be complicated, so we want to make the insurance process as easy on you as possible. Contact us at Atlanta Insurance if you’d like to get a free quote on your home insurance, auto insurance, or renters insurance – all you have to do is fill out our quote form or give us a call!

How to save money on your Atlanta business insurance premium

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You can lower your business's insurance premium.

There are a few things you can do to lower your business insurance premium.

It’s no secret that business insurance can get pretty pricey. There are a lot of risks out there that need to be covered, and as a business owner, you might be anxious about the price tag of your insurance. While you know that you need to protect your business and you want to get some peace of mind, you might cringe at the thought of what it will cost – a normal reaction, by the way. However, there are a few things you can do to lower the seemingly astronomical cost of your insurance premium, and we’re prepared to share them.

1. Raise your deductible.

Your deductible is the amount you agree to pay before the insurance company will step in to cover the remaining amount on the bill if you have a claim. For example, if you have a $1000 deductible and a $5000 claim, you would pay $1000 before the insurance company would pay the remaining $4000. A higher deductible means that you have a lower premium and vice versa, so by raising your deductible, you can lower your rates.

Now, you have to consider how much you’re actually able to comfortably pay in the event of a claim. You don’t want to raise it so high that it would be problematic to scrape together the money – you don’t want it to be a burden. So, you have to do a bit of a balancing act.

2. Consider getting a BOP to get a lower premium.

A BOP (business owner’s policy) combines several coverages into a convenient bundle. Sometimes it’s less expensive to purchase insurance this way rather than as separate coverages, so you might want to find out what a BOP covers and see if your business qualifies for one.

If your business qualifies for a BOP, you need to ask yourself if the policy fits your business. Are there coverages included that you don’t actually need? Will you need to add any extra coverages that aren’t included in the BOP? These are both important things to consider. For reference, a BOP typically includes general liability, business interruption, and property insurance.

3. Go shopping.

Not like at the mall. We mean insurance shopping. If you’re making a big purchase, you compare prices and look at several stores to make sure you’re getting the best price, right? The same rule applies to business insurance. Comparing rates can help you be reassured that you’re getting the best price for your business insurance. You can go through a reputable, trustworthy broker to shop for insurance rates. Try to find an agent who’s familiar with your industry and the risks that you face. They’ll be better able to advise you about limits and coverages that you might need. That might include workers’ compensation insurance or employment practices liability insurance, but you may also need other coverages that are more specific to your industry.

4. Do an annual checkup on your insurance.

Your insurance needs may change from one year to the next. To make sure that your insurance coverages still fit your business, you’ll have to review your policies carefully. This is also a good opportunity to see if there are any coverages that overlap or that you don’t need anymore. While you should never sacrifice coverage for the sake of saving cost, it can’t hurt to review your risks and your insurance needs.

5. Lower your risk and get a lower premium.

By reducing risks, we mean doing a few things. You can take measures to increase security. Creating a business disaster plan is another way to reduce risks, as is improving safety – for clients and employees – at your workplace.

There are many advantages to undertaking a risk-reducing campaign.

First, lowering your risks can help you save because insurance companies quote based on the risks they see – the riskier your business, the higher your quote will be. By actively trying to reduce those risks, you could get a lower premium.

Second, lower risk means a lower chance of having a claim. Having claims makes your premium go up, so you can avoid that unpleasant occurrence by lowering your chances of having a claim in the first place.

Third, improving safety and reducing risks could qualify you for a discount on your insurance. It might seem expensive to install something like a security system, but with the insurance discount you now qualify for it could pay for itself very quickly. Be sure to ask your agent about steps you can take to lower your risk and qualify for discounts. Discounts shouldn’t be the only motivating factor though – remember what we said about lower claims meaning lower premiums? In the long run, improved safety and risk management pays off for everyone. Yes, insurance and risk management might seem expensive, but so are claims and lawsuits.

Business insurance is not cheap, but there are ways that your company can reduce your premium. You can raise your deductible, get a BOP, shop around, review your policies, and reduce risk by increasing safety. If you’re inclined to despair about your insurance rates, take a deep breath. Make a plan to implement some of the above strategies. You’ll feel better knowing that you’ve got the insurance situation under control.

Speaking of business insurance, do you want to implement Tip 3 and shop for your business insurance rates? We can help with that! Out agents would love to help you save money on your insurance. All you have to do to get in touch is fill out our business insurance quote form or give us a call today.

How to have a happy, safe, and spooky Halloween

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Have a happy and safe Halloween.

Have a happy and safe Halloween.

Halloween is almost upon us, and that means it’s time to talk a bit about safety during this candy-and-costumed themed holiday. Kids love Halloween – and what’s not to like? There’s fun costumes, candy, pumpkins, and, most importantly, trick-or-treating! But as a parent, it’s important to keep your children safe as they get ready for their Halloween fun. We’ve got some safety tips covering three major aspects of the spookiest holiday of the year – costumes, carving pumpkins, and trick-or-treating.

Phase One: Costumes

1. Make sure that the costume your child chooses fits them well, and try not to have any loose or baggy costumes. This could lead to tripping and walking hazards.

2. Consider using face makeup instead of masks, which can reduce a child’s visibility and make breathing harder. Make sure that the makeup is FDA-approved and test it on a small section of skin first. Remove it right away after the trick-or-treat fun is done – leaving makeup on can cause skin irritation.

3. Choose costumes that are made out of fire-retardant fabric.

4. Make sure that any accessories, such as fairy wands or swords, are soft and short. No need to chance someone getting hurt if they accidentally get whacked.

5. Add reflective tape to costumes and trick-or-treat bags to help make your kids more visible as it gets dark outside.

Phase Two: Pumpkin carving

1. Choose your pumpkin-carving spot carefully. You should put your pumpkins on a flat surface so that the pumpkin is stable and won’t waddle around on you. Use dry, clean pumpkin carving tools so that nothing slips unexpectedly.

2. Make sure there’s plenty of light so that you can see what you’re doing.

3. Don’t let kids carve. Let them draw the face on their pumpkin or trace out a pattern, but do the actual carving yourself. Young children can watch, but make sure they don’t get too close to any sharp objects that they could accidentally hurt themselves with. Even teenagers need supervision as they’re carving their pumpkins.

4. Consider using a pumpkin-carving kit. You need the right tools to get the job done, after all. Creating magnificent Jack-o-lanterns is a serious business. Make sure you’re wielding the right instruments when you go to make the most amazing pumpkin ever. Carving kits come with special tools that are designed for pumpkins. These tools are often not super sharp, either, reducing the chance of losing a finger.

5. If you’re going to use real candles for your Jack-o-lanterns, use votive candles. You can also consider using battery-powered fake candles, as these won’t accidentally catch things on fire.

6. Speaking of things catching on fire, if you have real candles in your Jack-o-lanterns, place them away from anything that could be flammable, like curtains or furniture. Don’t leave a lit Jack-o-lantern unattended.

7. Remember, be careful and watch your fingers. Keep your hands safely where you can see them.

Phase Three: Trick-or-treating

1. Teach your kids to be very careful crossing the street and to walk facing traffic.

2. Give them flashlights and glow sticks so that drivers can see them more easily.

3. Remind kids not to approach people in cars or accept candy from people in cars. Yes, this might be something you’ve told them a million times, but Halloween’s a great time for a refresher.

4. Accompany any children under 12 as they trick-or-treat. Responsible children 12 or older can go without a grown-up as long as they are in a group and tell their parents their route ahead of time. Make sure that they know the area that they’re trick-or-treating in very well – you don’t want anyone getting lost!

5. Teach your kids about watching for cars, even cars in driveways that might be backing out. Also, make sure they know not to run suddenly across the street.

6. Inspect the candy when the kids get home. Anything unwrapped or that looks like it’s been opened should be tossed. Get rid of anything that looks homemade. All candy should be factory-wrapped and sealed. Also, check for choking hazards and make sure that your child only eats candy that’s appropriate for their age.

7. Remind kids to pay attention to their surroundings. Make sure your kids aren’t looking at phones or electronics as they’re walking, as they need to be alert for approaching cars and hazards.

Halloween is lots of fun for the whole family. Kids love dressing up, and why not join them and get yourself a costume? While Halloween means there’s lots of entertainment and happy memories to be made, it’s important to take a second to think about safety so that you have both a happy and uneventful – in a good way – Halloween. We hope that these tips will be helpful to you as you prepare for the all-time spookiest Halloween!

Are you looking for a quote for your home insurance or auto insurance? We’d love to help you out with that! We can help you identify the risks that you and your family face and create an individualized insurance plan to protect you from them. All you have to do to get started with getting some quotes for your insurance is fill out our quote form or give us a call today.

How to prevent a devastating burglary and protect your Atlanta business

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Burglary is devastating to businesses.

For many business owners, burglary is a very real fear. Maybe you’ve been the victim of a burglary in the past, or maybe you fear one happening in the future. At any rate, a burglary can be devastating to your business. Yes, your business insurance might help you, but the effects might not only be financial – a break-in robs you and your employees of your peace of mind. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to lower the chances of a burglary happening at your place of business.

1. Let there be light.

Having plenty of lighting outside your premises serves as a major deterrent for potential burglars, who prefer to skulk around in the dark. So shine some spotlight on your entryways and exterior of your building. The idea is to eliminate burglar-friendly shadows.

2. Bolster the locks.

All locks need to be good at their jobs, as do the doors. Might as well not make the burglar’s job any easier by having easy-to-break locks. Make sure your windows are locked tight, and don’t forget to check those doors when you close for the night. Also, have deadbolts on your exterior doors.

3. Maintain your trees and bushes.

Keeping the building and your premises well-manicured and cared for is important. Make sure to keep your trees and shrubs trimmed away from the windows so as to eliminate potential hiding spots.

4. Consider security cameras.

Security cameras inside and outside the building are a major deterrent for burglars. Burglars prefer not to be caught in the spotlight. Plus, if you have camera footage you’ll be able to help the police if you do have a burglary.

5. Have an alarm system installed.

Do some research and consider having a commercial security system installed. Having a monitored alarm system will make burglars think twice before targeting your building. Make sure it’s properly maintained. Foil the burglar’s plans by showing that they won’t escape undetected.

6. Make sure your safes do their job.

Your employees should be in the habit of depositing cash into the safe frequently throughout the day. Ideally, the safe would be bolted to the ground.

It's important to protect your business from burglary.

7. Complicate burglary.

Have glass that’s shatterproof in the windows so people can’t just smash the glass and let themselves in.

8. Have interior emergency lights at night.

Having a little bit of light in the building itself after close helps deter burglars – it makes it easier for passersby to see movement and increases the chances of the burglar being caught.

9. Protect the outside of the building.

To protect the perimeter of the business, you can consider installing a sturdy fence. That can help keep your business safe. Make sure that you’ve taken steps to protect all possible entry points for burglars.

10. Keep track of who has keys.

When you issue keys to those who need them. Have records of who has keys, and make sure to collect keys of employees who will no longer be with your business. You can even consider changing the locks every so often.

11. Have a “more the merrier” philosophy.

Make sure that you have enough staff to mind the premises properly – it will keep both your business and your employees safer. Also, make sure that the closing people do a sweep of the building so that no one hides inside after close.

12. Change up your banking routine.

Make sure that your money-related tasks and routines, like making bank deposits, have varied schedules. You don’t want to be predictable. Would-be burglars pay attention to these things.

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Burglary is a very real threat for business owners. It’s important to keep your premises safe and sound and to tighten up your security, even if you feel like your business is in a safe place and that burglary would never happen to you. You can even consider including burglary when you do disaster planning for your business. Don’t invite the burglars to come in and help themselves to your merchandise and business equipment.

Are you looking for business insurance quotes? Great – we would love to help you out with that! We can help you identify the risks that your business faces, and from there we’ll work with you to create a customized insurance plan just for your business. All you have to do to get started with your free business insurance quotes is fill out our quote form or give us a call today.

Source:

https://www.troopers.ny.gov/Crime_Prevention/Business_Safety/Guide_To_Business_Security/

Do I have enough Atlanta home insurance to cover the cost of my jewelry?

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Check your home insurance policy to see what it's limit of coverage is for jewelry.

Check your home insurance policy to see what it's limit of coverage is for jewelry.

Your home insurance is designed to protect you and your family from loss. But unfortunately that homeowners insurance comes with limits – knew there had to be a catch somewhere! One thing that might be subject to a strict limit is jewelry. You know that you need to protect your home from burglary, but you also need to consider what your insurance will cover where valuables are concerned. Some homeowners and renters policies have a limit as low as $1000 for jewelry. Depending on the bling you have, this may not be enough to cover everything if your jewelry is stolen or destroyed. You’ll have to review your policy carefully to see what your jewelry limit is.

If you find that you don’t have enough coverage for all of your jewelry, you have a few options to make sure it’s fully protected.

Valuable items endorsement:

An endorsement is an addition to your policy that can change it. In the case of valuables or jewelry, items included in the endorsement are scheduled onto a list. Basically, an endorsement for jewelry can provide coverage for the treasures that you want to protect by giving you an appropriate limit of coverage.

Floater:

A floater is another way to add coverage for your jewelry. It covers items that are easily moved, and they’re used to increase the limit of coverage for valuable belongings. If you have a pricey bracelet, brooch, ring, or necklace, for example, a floater can help you increase your coverage for the piece.

Valuable items policy:

If you have a very expensive piece of jewelry, for insurance for a diamond necklace worth more than $10,000, you can get an entirely separate policy to cover it. Items that are very expensive may not get enough coverage from a floater or endorsement, which is why you might need to consider taking out a completely separate policy rather than adding it to your home insurance.

How much coverage do I need?

That depends on the item you want to insure. At any rate, you need to make sure that whatever method you use to insure your jewelry will cover replacements made of similar materials and type. Also, you should consider taking a home inventory so that you know exactly which pieces of jewelry you need to get additional coverage for.

To figure out what kind of limits you should be looking at, you’ll need to have your jewelry appraised by a professional. Ask them to list each item you’re having appraised separately and to note a description and the value. Keep in mind that you’ll need to update your appraisals every once in a while because prices change and markets fluctuate. You need to have a current appraisal so that you can keep your insurance up-to-date and make any necessary changes to your policy.

Pro tip: Don’t forget that your monitored security system can qualify you for a discount on your home insurance.

In conclusion:

Home or renters insurance policies usually have strict limits of coverage for jewelry, and these limits may not be enough to fully cover all of the valuables in your possession. You need to review your policy, and if the value of your jewelry exceeds the limit specified in your policy, you’ll have to talk with your agent about ways to get the right coverage. Make sure you have the insurance you need to protect your jewelry and don’t underestimate the value of your belongings. When in doubt, have the jewelry appraised. It’s worth it to ensure that you’ll get the money you need to replace the piece of pieces that were stolen or destroyed.

Do you need home or renters insurance? We’d love to get you some free quotes for your coverage – it’s what we do. We can help you build an insurance plan to protect your home, valuables and all. Just fill out our online quote form or give us a call today to get started.

10 things you need to know about Atlanta business insurance

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Did you know these ten facts about business insurance?

If you have a business, you know that you have quite a bit of risk. Maybe more than quite a bit. Yeah, probably more. Anyways, the problem with business insurance is that it can be hard to make heads or tails of it sometimes – it can be like a foreign language. To help you get more confident speaking “business insurance,” we have ten “phrases” that you should know. Okay, they’re more like facts, but we wanted to keep the analogy going.

1. A BOP is a convenient way to insure small businesses.

A BOP, or business owner’s policy, can help small business owners get the coverage they need. It can basically smoosh general liability, property insurance, and business interruption insurance into a convenient, neatly-wrapped package. Different coverages can be added to a BOP to increase your business’s protection. However, there are a few qualifications your business has to meet before it’s BOP-worthy.

2. Your business might be required to have workers’ compensation.

Certain businesses are required by law to carry workers’ compensation insurance – in fact, most are. Workers’ comp protects your employees if they get hurt on the job. It provides for medical payments and even reimburses the employee for a portion of their lost wages if they’re unable to work. Make sure that you have the workers’ comp coverage you need to be compliant with your state’s laws – and keep in mind that each state has different workers’ comp requirements. Workers’ comp is really important because your employees aren’t covered under general liability.

3. Flooding is not covered.

Your business has to purchase flood insurance as a separate policy because flooding is not covered under property insurance. If you’re worried that your business could someday end up underwater, you’ll have to go through an agent to get commercial flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP.

4. Property insurance protects your premises and business essentials.

Property insurance can protect your building and business necessities (inventory, machinery, computers, etc.) against common perils, like fire. It helps you rebuild and repair your premises so that you can get your business started up again. Keep in mind that you need to be mindful of the perils covered by your property policy.

5. Choosing a higher deductible can help you save on your business insurance premium.

Your deductible is the amount that you agree to pay before the insurance company steps in to start covering expenses from a loss. If you select a higher deductible, your premiums may go down. It’s a bit of a balancing act – you want to make sure that your deductible isn’t so high that it would be hard to pay, but high enough that your premiums go down.

6. Having claims can make your premiums go up.

If you have a claim, the insurance company might see you as more of a risk. And that’s not good because the more of a risk you are, the higher your premiums could be. That’s why it’s so important for your business to commit to quality, safety, security, and workplace policies.

7. General liability insurance is your “slip-and-fall” insurance.

General liability protects your business against claims (true or untrue) that it caused someone bodily harm, property damage, or advertising injury. Basically, that means any claims that you broke their stuff, you broke them, or you slandered them in some way. General liability is crucial because people are clumsy. Accidents happen. You don’t want anyone to hold it against you.

8. If you have a really big claim, umbrella insurance can save the day.

Umbrella insurance protects your business from the whopper claims. It’s basically extra liability insurance that kicks in when the limit on the other, underlying policy runs out. Okay, you may still be scratching your head, and that’s okay because we have an example.

Let’s create a business. We’re going to say that they have $1 million of general liability. Now, let’s give them $1 million of umbrella insurance. Okay, here’s the fun part – let’s give them a $1.8 million claim. The general liability would kick in first and cover its $1 million before tapping out. But…that leaves $800,000 for our hypothetical business to pay. But don’t worry – their hypothetical umbrella insurance would swoop in and take care of the remaining $800,000. The day is saved!

9. Every business is different and needs different coverages.

The types of business insurance and limits that you need depend on several different factors – for example, your business’s size, the type of work that you do, and the business’s location. When getting insurance, it’s important that you work with an agent that will help you identify your risks and build an insurance plan that’s tailored to your business. We can help you do that here at Atlanta Insurance.

10. Risk management can help you reduce your business’s chance of financial loss.

Risk management is basically the process of scrutinizing your business for risks and taking steps to, well, manage them. It means implementing strategies to reduce or eliminate risks before they have the opportunity to hurt you. Risk management considers the losses that you’re vulnerable to and the likelihood that those losses will occur. Strategies for risk management include increasing safety and buying insurance.

These ten facts are only the tip of the glacier when it comes to business insurance, but it’s not so scary, right? There’s a lot to learn about commercial insurance, and that’s why it’s important to find out new stuff. Knowledge is power – someone smart said that once. It’s also important to find an insurance partner that you can trust, and that’s where we come in. We would love the opportunity to earn your business and become that trusted advisor, and we’ll start by getting you free quotes on your business insurance. To get started with your quotes, all you have to do is fill out our online quote form or give us a call today.