Make your home looked “lived in” even when you’re not there
Have a trusted neighbor pick up your mail and newspapers.
Arrange for someone to mow your lawn or shovel snow.
Ask a neighbor to park a car in your driveway while you’re gone.
Use timed switches on your lights, TV and stereo. Look for timers that turn on and off randomly.
Never advertise your absence by taping a note to your door or announcing it on your answering machine/voice mail.
Turn your telephone ringer down or off. This way a burglar is less likely to hear the ringing of unanswered calls and realize no one is home.
You can add to the security of your lighting system and cut your electric bill by installing a motion detector on outside lights. This will activate your lights when anyone comes within range of the unit’s motion sensor.
Scurich Insurance Services can get you and your home covered with Homeowners Insurance.
Scurich Insurance Services
320 E Lake Ave.
Watsonville, Ca 95076
(813) 772-3541
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Defective electrical wiring systems cause approximately 40,000 residential fires annually, according to a United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) study. In addition, electric cords and plugs are involved in about 7,000 fires annually. The National Electrical Safety Foundation offers numerous tips to safeguard the home against electrical fire and related losses, including the following.
- Verify that outlets and extension cords are not overloaded
- Examine electrical cords to ensure they are not frayed, damaged, or placed under rugs or carpets.
- Verify that the proper wattage bulbs are being used in light fixtures and lamps.
- Consider installing ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) in bathrooms, utility rooms, and kitchens. This device protects people against electrocution by shutting down the electrical system if it detects any imbalance in the electricity.
Take steps to safeguard electrical appliances from power surges. A power surge is a sudden rise of current or voltage in an electrical circuit that can last up to several seconds and can ruin electrical appliances and equipment, such as computers. Note that computer chips are now in many of the appliances you plug in. You can purchase surge protection devices to safeguard against this problem.
Consider updating the entire electrical system if the home is over 40 years old. Older homes are more susceptible to electrical fire. For example, many older homes contain aluminum wiring, which is much more likely to start fires than the copper wire required by modern building codes.
Install child tamper-resistant electrical outlets to prevent a child from inserting something into the outlet holes.
Install arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCI) to avoid fires caused by arc faults. An arc fault is a discharge of electric current across a gap. This can be caused by improper electrical connections, pinched wire insulation, and overheated wires.
Note that many insurers offer discounts for some of these electrical safety improvements. Please call for details.
If you would like more information on Scurich Insurance and what services we can provide for you, we have a great website!
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Scurich Insurance Services has been serving the Monterey Bay Area since 1924. Our mission is to partner with our customers and provide them superior service and value. We are a member of United Valley Insurance Services, Inc., a cluster of over 70 California Independent Insurance agencies, which produced over $530,000,000 of annual premium last year.
At Scurich Insurance Services we understand your business and our community. Our customers look to us for comprehensive solutions. We have established relationships with more than 40 of the nation’s leading insurance providers, which allows us to deliver multiple, competitively-priced options and a team of experts to guide you through the process.
When you need to file a claim, change a policy or process a certificate you can depend on Scurich Insurance Services to respond quickly to your request.
Scurich Insurances can provide commercial packages, farm bureau discounts, farm packages, workers compensation, professional liability, umbrella, group benefits group life & health personal auto , home, life, health and much more. We can also help you plan wisely and guide you in the evaluation of risk management, We serve Watsonville, California and surrounding areas. We represent over 50 Insurance carriers to better protect your business.
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Big Change to CA DUI Laws to Take Effect in 2012
As seen on DUI drunk drivers website
Scurich Insurance Services wants to keep you on top of laws so you don’t get left behind when they change.
Under a new bill signed into law Monday, repeat DUI offenders in California could lose their licenses for 10 years after three convictions in 10 years.
The legislation — penned by Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo — targets drivers who get their licenses back after multiple arrests. Currently, three convictions in 10 years mean a three-year loss of a person’s license. The new law, AB 1601, gives judges the discretion to impose a decade long revocation.
“This could be landmark legislation,” Hill said. “It will take 10,000 repeat DUI offenders off the road.”
The bill does not take effect until Jan. 1, 2012. Hill said the bill will start a year after being approved in order to give the Department of Motor Vehicles and courts time to coordinate.
An earlier version of the bill faced stiff resistance from critics. That draft would have stripped drivers’ licenses for life after three DUIs, and it sought to throw out a rule limiting how far back authorities can look at a person’s driving record. But when a state analysis revealed that the bill could put more people in prison and thus cost more money, Hill was forced to revise it.
Joshua Dale, head of the California DUI Lawyers Association, which is critical of the bill, said AB 1601 will likely mean more people will try to fight convictions, possibly resulting in more trials. Taxpayers will get stuck with the bill for the increased expense, he said.
Dale opposed the initial version of the law because in his view it would have removed an incentive many drunken drivers need to get sober: the possibility of getting back their licenses. He said the final version of the bill leaves a bit of hope.
“We still have that carrot at the end of the stick, so to speak,” he said.
If you want to learn more valuable information about being safe and being on the road, click the link to check out Scurich Insurance’s website.
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Prevention on the outside
Be sure to carry out certain fire protection measures before a fire starts:
- Create “Defensible Space” – Remove flammable vegetation from around your home or structures and replace with fire-resistant plants. This safety zone for firefighters should be at least 100 feet. Also, clear away dead leaves and debris from your roof and gutters.
- Mark road signs and buildings clearly – Fire-fighting personnel must be able to immediately locate and safely travel to your home or business in order to protect it.
- Establish an emergency water supply – Keep a minimum of 2,500 gallons of water (roughly the size of an above-ground pool, 10 feet in diameter) available to firefighters.
- Make your home and buildings fire safe – Modify your structures to resist fire damage. Siding materials such as brick and stucco resist fire much better than wood. Also, build or re-roof with fire resistive or noncombustible materials (Class A offer the best protection).
Prevention on the inside
Fires are caused by a combination of fuel, air and heat. Therefore, removing one of the three elements is key in preventing devastating fires. Beware of fire ignition sources such as:
- Electrical – Many fires result from defects in, or misuse of, the electrical system. Wiring may fail due to faulty installation, overloading, physical damage, aging or deterioration. Inspect all exposed wiring regularly. Make sure heating units are working properly.
- Farm machinery – Equipment fires may be the result of defective fuel or ignition systems, smoking, overheated engines, sparks from exhaust or grinding equipment, or improper refueling. Turn off the engine and allow it to cool before refueling. Repair leaks in fuel lines, pumps and filters. Use and store fuels properly. Keep them in well-ventilated areas.
Scurich Insurance can help protect your farm with Business Insurance as well as keep you informed with Safety Services.
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Jobs that take employees outside definitely have their appeal, especially to the office-based cubicle crowd. But people whose line of work requires them to be outdoors in the hot summer months — from construction and agriculture workers to parks employees — face unique health hazards.
Clothing and Sunscreen
Employees who are working outside in the heat should wear light, loose-fitting clothing. But to avoid harmful UV rays, stick to long pants (no shorts) and long-sleeved shirts, and apply plenty of sunscreen.
Breaks for Water and Shade
If you’re working in the heat, your employer should provide you with plenty of water, and breaks to drink it. Drink small amounts frequently, rather than a lot of water all at once. If your work is particularly strenuous and takes place in direct sunlight, you should also be given regular work breaks in a “shade tent” or other rest area.
Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion: What to Watch Out For.
The combination of high temperature, high humidity, and physical exertion that comes with some outdoor jobs raises the risk that workers will suffer heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Some warning signs are headaches, lightheadedness, confusion, irrational behavior, loss of consciousness, abnormally high body temperature and hot, dry skin.
Lyme Disease, Poison Ivy, and West Nile Virus
Working in the great outdoors — especially in the summer months — can mean exposure to some of Mother Nature’s less pleasurable offerings, including ticks that can carry Lyme Disease and other bacteria, mosquitoes that can transmit West Nile Virus, and poisonous plants that can cause skin problems.
Scurich Insurance can help advise your business regarding Safety Services.
Please visit us at http://www.scurichinsurance.com
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