Dorm Disaster!

Thursday, August 14th, 2014

Ah, mid-August. The height of the college-student pilgrimage. If you or a loved one is headed off to college in the coming days like our marketing and technology gal, Imogen, chances are you have plenty to worry about, not the least of which is what to bring. The average college student will bring $5,000 to $10,000 worth of personal property to school, and unfortunately, the vast majority will suffer a loss at least once. Electronics, sports equipment,

Image courtesy of desktopped.s3.amazonaws.com

furniture, textbooks–these are all commonly kept in dorms or off-campus housing, and can be frightfully expensive to replace if they are lost or stolen. You’re already paying a small fortune for the education; why should you pay even more after an event that you were powerless to stop? Luckily, if you’re conscientious about the risks, you may not have to.

The first step a college student and his/her parents should take to protect against property loss is to inventory what items are being taken to school. This means making a list of what the student is taking with them and the estimated value of each item. Be sure to include high-value items like laptops, cameras, musical instruments, and sports equipment in your inventory.  The Insurance Information Institute has a free software available at knowyourstuff.org to facilitate this process with features like receipt scanning and item lookup; you can also get this software as an app on your smartphone so you’ll have it wherever you are. An up-to-date inventory is important to determine how much insurance to purchase  (if any–see below) and settle claims in a timely manner in the event of a loss.

Image courtesy of tarainternationalshipping.com

After taking a careful inventory, parents should check their homeowners or renters policy for off-site coverage. Many (but not all) policies include financial protection for possessions that are taken away from the insured property. In some cases, homeowners and renters policies may limit the amount of coverage for a student’s belongings to 10% of the policy’s overall coverage for personal possessions. All policies that cover off-site property cover the same disasters that are included in a standard homeowners policy–fire, theft, vandalism, and natural disasters. The student would not be covered for small mishaps like spilling coffee or dropping and breaking an item. Certain items, such as jewelry and instruments, may be covered up to a dollar limit ; if these limits are lower than the value of the items, it may be wise to purchase a personal property floater or endorsement to the standard policy for higher amount and broader coverage.  However, it may make more sense to leave extremely expensive items at home or invest in a security deposit box.

If the student plans to take a car to school (and even if he/she doesn’t), make sure to review the auto policy on it. The price of the policy will likely have to be re-evaluated based on the location of the school. If a student has been driving a family car and will now be away at a college at least 100 miles away without it, the owner of the car may be eligible for a discount, depending on whether or not anyone else will be driving it or if it will be unused until the student returns. Also, many auto insurers will give discounts to students who get good grades at school.

For particularly important/expensive items, it may be worth it to purchase stand-alone policies, which will cover events which are not covered under a standard homeowners or renters policy. If a credit card is used to buy expensive technology products, the credit card company may offer some insurance protection.

Students who live off campus may not be covered by the renters or homeowners policy on their family’s home, so it may be necessary to purchase their own coverage.

Good luck at school!

 

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Want to review your policies with us? Give us a call at 610-543-3113 or e-mail us at info@agencybythemall.com. We’re more than happy to help!

 

 

What a Nuisance!

Tuesday, August 12th, 2014

On this rainy day, it only seems appropriate to blog about flooding. I’m sure you’ve noticed the violent storms we’ve been having lately (how could you not?) and wondered what on earth is going on to cause such dangerous weather. Well, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has an explanation, but you won’t like it.

Like most negative things lately, we can chalk up the pounding rain to global warming. That’s right; when sea levels rise, storms follow. Believe it or not, what we’ve been experiencing falls under the category of “nuisance flooding,” i.e. flooding that causes public inconveniences (road closures, compromised infrastructure, and overwhelmed storm drains, etc.) but is not severe enough to injure or kill anyone.

Image courtesy of NOAA

Most people (if not all) have experienced a nuisance flood at least once in their lifetime–basement flooding and clogged storm drains are more often than not results of nuisance flooding. These events have been occurring increasingly frequently ever since the 1960s, mainly on the East Coast. Today, nuisance flooding caused by rising sea levels is 300% to 925% more common than in the 60s. Says Dr. William Sweet of NOAA: “it no longer takes a strong storm or hurricane to cause flooding. Flooding now occurs with high tides in many locations due to climate-related sea level rise…and the loss of natural barriers. The effects…are only going to become more noticeable and much more severe.”

But it gets worse. Philadelphia is one of the top 10 U.S. cities with an increase in nuisance flooding, with an increase of 650% since 1960! Looks like you couldn’t make a better investment than flood insurance right now.

Standard homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding, so you’ll have to buy it separately through the National Flood Insurance Program. Homeowners, renters, and businesses are all eligible. Find out more about and/or start an application for flood insurance at Agency by the Mall or call us at 610-543-3113. And stay dry!

Monday-itis

Monday, August 11th, 2014

Happy Monday, everybody! As the toughest work day of the week winds down, we thought we’d give you a bit of a laugh as a reward for making it through.

29% of workers admit to playing hooky from their place of employment this year (although I suspect the real percentage is much higher). The procedure is simple: one, call your boss, two, say you’re not feeling well, three, take the day off. Easy as pie, right? Not for everybody, apparently. Check out these wacky (not to mention phony) excuses for missing work:

 

1) “My 12-year-old daughter stole my car and I have no other way to work…no, I don’t want to call the police.”

Image courtesy of imgsrv.965thebuzz.com

2) “Bats got in my hair!!!”

3) “A refrigerator fell on top of me.”

4) “I was in line at a coffee shop when a truck backed up and dumped a truckload of flour in my convertible!”

5) “A deer bit me on my hunting trip.”

6) “I ate too much at a party…”

7) “I fell out of bed and broke my nose.”

8) “I got a cold from a puppy.”

9) “My kid stuck a mint up his nose and I had to take him to the ER to remove it.”

10) “I hurt my back chasing a beaver.”

11) “I got my toe caught in a vent cover.”

12) “I have a headache from going to too many garage sales.”

13) “My brother was kidnapped by a drug cartel in Mexico!”

14) “I drank anti-freeze by mistake.”

15) “A bucket of water crashed through the ceiling and hit my head while I was bowling.”

16) “My false teeth flew out my car window on the highway!”

17) “Someone glued my doors and windows shut so I can’t leave my house!”

18) “A swarm of bees is surrounding my car…of course I can’t get into it!”

19) “I received a threatening phone call from my electric company and I need to report it to the FBI.”

20) “I got lost and ended up in another state.”

 

Unbelievable? I guarantee their bosses feel the same.

 

 

Fear Not the Teen Premium

Thursday, August 7th, 2014

Wondering why your teen driver is so expensive to insure? It’s pretty simple, really. Insurance companies calculate premiums based on assessed risk (i.e. the likelihood the insured will need to use their insurance). The higher the assessed risk, the higher your premium, and vice versa. Assessed risk depends somewhat on individual circumstances–the kind of car you have, for example, or your driving record–but it is mostly determined using statistics gathered annually comparing the average risk in a variety of groups. One of these groups is, you guessed it, teens. According to these statistics, young drivers are exponentially worse on the road than their adult counterparts. In fact, they are ten times more likely to be in an auto accident. More accidents means more payouts for the insurance company, so they keep the premiums high to balance out the money they estimate they will have to pay on behalf of their insureds.

Understandably, most teens feel powerless to change the cost of their auto insurance. You can’t change your age, right? While your age isn’t under your  control, your behavior is, and the experts at Fortune have some simple ways to lower that sky-high premium.

Image courtesy of propickupmag.com

 

1. Let the insurer track your driving

Many of the biggest insurance companies have instituted “telematic” programs, in which the insured driver keeps an electronic device that assesses how good a driver he/she is. You’ve probably heard of Progressive’s Snapshot program, which entails plugging a small device into the bottom of your steering column and transmits data about how fast you’re driving, how hard you hit the brakes, the time of the day you are on the road, etc. back to Progressive, where the data is used to determine your monthly premium. Today, companies like Allstate and State Farm have designed similar systems as apps and through onboard communication systems like OnStar to make them even less intrusive and more accessible. The savings through these telematic programs can often be up to 30%! Some users even report that they become more conscientious drivers when they know they are being monitored.

Here’s the caveat–in some cases, the insurer can also increase your premium based on reckless driving. This means that unless your teen is amazingly careful all the time (and few teens are), you’re probably better off using these devices when an adult driver is in the car, and certainly don’t lend your car out while the device is active. But heck, maybe your good driving will save you enough to balance out your young’un’s high premium.

 

2. Get the good student discount.

There are some auto insurance discounts that you get automatically–having a car with an anti-theft device, for example–and others that you have to ask for. The good student discount falls into the latter category. Ask your insurer or agent if they offer a good student discount, and you could save an average of 10% (and sometimes even more) on your teen’s auto insurance. Typically, the student must have at least a B average to qualify. Online driver safety programs and a safe driver contract signed by the young driver and his/her parent can also save you money, so be sure to find out about these, too!

Some companies also have a “resident student discount” for students attending college far from their home state, but you’ll have to ask for this too. It’s worth it though–you could slash your premium by up to 30%!

Image courtesy of blogspot.com

3. Buy or keep used cars.

This one is actually pretty weird. Basically, if a teen gets into an accident in a used car, it’s a significantly less expensive loss than if the same thing happened in a new car, so a used car is cheaper to insure. Be warned, though–some people have questioned the claim that older cars are less expensive to insure by virtue of being older, pointing out that people generally purchase less coverage on a used car.

Strangely enough, a few companies will actually give discounts for newer cars, arguing that cars less than three years old have more advanced safety features and thus can prevent damage from an accident much better than in an old car. Even so, I doubt you want your teen driving around in a brand spanking new car, so let’s stick to the oldies.

 

4. Bump up your own liability insurance.

If your name is on your teen’s insurance policy and he/she drives your car, all of your assets, including the contents of your home, are fair game in a lawsuit. A basic auto insurance policy’s liability coverage is often pitiful compared to the value of your assets, meaning that a victim of an accident in which your child is involved can force you to pay for whatever the insurance company doesn’t cover. For $250-$300, you can get $1 million worth of coverage, and most medical bills don’t even amount to half of that. It may mean spending a bit extra, but increasing your personal liability can save you hundreds of thousands, and quite literally, the roof over your head.

 

What do you think? Would you try these tricks to get a better deal for your young driver? Have you had success (or failure) with any of them? Let us know!

 

Need for Speed

Tuesday, August 5th, 2014

You may have heard that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation plans to raise the speed limit from 65 mph to 70 mph on two stretches of interstate highways. And if you hadn’t heard…now you have! Let’s take a closer look at what exactly the change entails and whether or not it’s worth it.

 

Here are the facts, courtesy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

-the 70 mph speed limit will be enforced on Interstate 80 from Du Bois in Clearfield County (that’s exit 101) to Clinton County, ending at mile 189, and on a 21-mile stretch of I-380 in Monroe and Lackawanna counties.

-The change will take effect starting August 11, 2014

-70 mph limits are already in place on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, from Blue Mountain (exit 201) to Morgantown (exit 298)

Image courtesy of PennDOT

Image courtesy of PennDOT

-PennDOT has stated that the increased speed limits in these areas are part of a pilot project that may lead to more universal increases throughout the 550 miles of road it manages in an attempt to “keep Pennsylvania [economically] competitive [with]…more efficient delivery of goods and services.”

-Pennsylvania will become the 38th state to have a highway speed limit of at least 70 mph–the speed limit hasn’t been raised to 70 mph since Ohio did so in 2011

 

Pros:

-According to PennDOT, the increased speed limit will save drivers an average of 6.4 minutes on the Turnpike, 5.8 minutes on the I-80, and 1.4 minutes on the I-380

-Accompanying the new speed limit is an increase in speedometer use and vigilance by state police as a precaution against high-speed collisions. Lt. Edward Murphy verified that a driver can be pulled over for being just 1 mph over the new speed limit, and will be cited for speeding when traveling at 6 mph or more above the limit.

-The maximum speed was last set in 1995. Cars have evolved in the last 18 years to better handle increased speeds.

-The increase is still being tested and monitored for 6 to 8 months, so if PennDOT sees a significant increase in car accidents as a result, they can easily revert back to old speed limits.

Cons:

-The problem lies in the “speed cushion” that most highway drivers take advantage of every day–in other words, the 5-10 miles over the speed limit that they can drive (mostly) without getting a speeding ticket. However, a collision at 65 or 70 mph, while dangerous, is significantly less so than a collision at 75 or 80 mph.

-some large trucks have speed governors limiting them to 65 to 68 mph at all times. Cars going faster than the new limit risk ramming into the backs of vehicles obligated to drive slower. 

-Crash testing is usually done at 35 to 40 mph, so the safety systems in cars may be overwhelmed by higher speeds.

-In states that have instituted a 70 mph speed limit, there has been a steady increase in car crashes and auto-related injuries

 

 

What do you think? Time-saver or unnecessary danger? Do you take any of the affected routes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Being Yourself = $$$ (Yep, that’s all there is to it!)

Tuesday, July 29th, 2014

Any car owner knows that driving a personal vehicle comes with plenty of extra costs–fuel, registration, inspection, repairs. Most of these fees are unavoidable, but your car insurance doesn’t have to be.

You’ve probably heard that old adage, “when companies compete, customers win?” Well, it certainly holds true for auto insurance.  As the number of insurance companies grows steadily, insurers seek to differentiate themselves from their competition. One way they do this is by adding new discounts. Naturally, these discounts are often kept on the down-low and hidden under a mountain of fine print. Luckily for all of us, Bankrate has methodically compiled a list of the most popular car insurance discounts among the ten largest auto insurers in America. Check them out below:

 

1. Multiple Policies

Discounts for bundling car insurance with other policies (such as homeowners’ insurance) through the same insurer.

2. Good Student

Discounts for younger drivers with good grades (ask your insurance company for the specific GPA required to get this discount)

3. Multivehicle

Discounts for insuring more than one vehicle with the same company.

Image courtesy of media.propertycasualty360.com

4. Anti-theft

Discounts for cars with built in anti-theft device(s), such as a car alarm system.

5. Passive Restraint

Discounts for cars with safety features such as airbags and motorized seat belts.

6. Safe Driver/Accident Free

Discounts for drivers with a clean driving record

7. Full Payment

Discounts for policyholders who pay their yearly or biyearly premium all at once (without monthly payments)

8. Paperless Billing/Automatic Payment

Discounts for policyholders who choose to receive correspondence from their insurer via e-mail, and/or policyholders who opt to have their monthly premium payment taken directly out of their checking/savings account.

9. Distant Student

Discounts for young drivers on a shared policy attending school far away from home (check with your insurance company for the exact distance necessary to qualify for this discount)

Image courtesy of media.propertycasualty360.com

10. Low Mileage 

Discounts for keeping mileage down (electronic mileage monitoring may be required to qualify for this discount)

11. Defensive Driver

Discounts for drivers who have taken a defensive driving course (this discount is sometimes limited to senior drivers)

12. Anti-Lock Breaks

Discounts for vehicles with anti-lock brakes.

13. Loyalty

Discounts for policyholders who stay with their insurance company for a (individually specified) length of time.

14. Newer Vehicle

Discounts for vehicles that are under a (individually-specified) number of years old

15. Early Signing

Discounts for policyholders who switch to a new carrier if the shopping process (i.e. quote request) began at least a (individually-specified) number of days before their old policies expire.

16. Military

Discounts for drivers who are or have been in the U.S. military.

17. Affinity/Occupational

Discounts for belonging to a certain group or working for a certain company/in a particular field.

18. Daytime Running Lights
Discounts for vehicles with daytime running lights.

19. Green Vehicle

Discounts for hybrids or alternative-fuel vehicles

 

It is important to remember that not all insurance companies have these discounts available, and discounts vary  by location. Finding all of the discounts you qualify for may require some exploration of buying guides from state insurance departments, medai reviews of companies’ offerings and research by industry groups like the Insurance Information Institute. However, if you haven’t recently reviewed your auto policy, you may be missing out on some great savings. If you need help finding out which discounts you may qualify for, you can call or e-mail Agency by the Mall and speak with one of our friendly and experienced agents.

Bad Words

Tuesday, July 22nd, 2014

The old adage “think before you speak” is doubly true when making an insurance claim. Saying the wrong words to your company can turn even what should be the most painless of settlements into a sticky situation. Adjusters are trained to regard specific “trigger” words in a claimant’s report as indicators that (s)he does not have a legitimate claim.

Here’s the golden rule of claims reporting: never say more than absolutely necessary. The more you talk, the higher the chance that you’ll trigger a red flag for the adjuster handling your claim. Explain exactly what happened, and avoid the following words in your explanation to both law enforcement on the scene and your insurance company:

1. Sorry

Many people make it a habit to apologize when an accident occurs–whether or not they are at fault (I know I have a tendency to apologize when someone bumps into me!). No matter the circumstances, the words “I’m sorry” are as good as a confession to police officers and insurance adjusters. Avoid confusion about your role in the accident, especially when it wasn’t your fault.

Image courtesy of theguardian.com

2. Whiplash

Whiplash claims are the nemeses of insurance companies, which are vigilant about identifying fake medical claims. Don’t self-diagnose–if you suspect trauma, see a doctor as soon as possible and get a medical report.

3. Intentional

Your insurance policy will protect you against bad luck and bad judgement, but for intentional acts, you’re on your own. If you broke your car window in order to get your keys, be prepared to pay the damage out of pocket.

4. Customized

Insurers are not interested in covering drivers with souped-up cars that have lots of special features. Customizing and/or upgrading your car may mean it will only be covered by insurance up to $2000, and some modifications can void your policy altogether.

5. Breakdown

If your car won’t start in the morning or your axle snaps while you’re turning a corner, you don’t have an insurance claim–you have a mechanical failure. Breakdowns are not covered by auto insurance unless specifically added to your policy. If you do purchase breakdown coverage, make sure you understand exactly what it covers and for how much.

6. Fine

Many accident victims have an instinctual tendency to assure bystanders that they are fine, even if they barely survive a wreck. Let your doctor determine if your fine before you tell anyone else that you are, including your insurer.

7. Ride-share

Ride-sharing services like Uber are commonplace nowadays, especially in urban areas, but if your car is used for a purpose other than that for which the policy is issued–for example, if your vehicle is insured for commute purposes but you use it for commercial purposes–you likely won’t be covered. Renting out your car as a taxi service could even void your coverage, so don’t turn your car into a side business without consulting your agent.

Image courtesy of abovethecrowd.com

 

8. Off-premises

The phrase “off-premises” may indicate to your insurer that your problem isn’t covered by your policy. One man told his insurer that water damage to his home might have been caused by an outside sewer rather than a problem on his property, and his claim was ultimately denied.

9. Coincidence

Insurance companies tend to be suspicious of people who insist that an unusual situation was just a coincidence. Insurance fraud is a serious concern for insurance companies, so make sure your account sounds possible.

 

Need help with a claim? Call Agency by the Mall and one of our agents would be happy to assist you!

 

 

 

Can’t Buy Me Love

Thursday, July 17th, 2014

They say money can’t buy you happiness and boy, were they right.  Anyone who’s ever spent a ludicrous amount of time on hold or dealt with an entirely unhelpful and unpleasant company representative while trying to file a claim or pay an insurance bill knows the value of competent and friendly customer service department. What you may not know is the extreme economic toll bad service can take on insurance companies.

Image courtesy of data3.whicdn.com

The newly released J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study, an annual report on insurance shopping and purchase behavior in the insurance industry, found that auto policy holders are more likely to switch insurance companies after one or more negative interactions with their insurer than after a premium increase–that is, poor service, not price, drives auto insurance customers to shop around for new options. Some 30% of all auto insurance customers shopped for a new provider in 2013, and 36% of those that did actually ended up switching insurers. Conversely, of  customers who experience a

Graph courtesy of J.D. Power and Associates

Graph courtesy of J.D. Power and Associates

premium increase from a company they trust and find efficient, only 13% decided to shop for a new company–that’s less than half the rate of shopping among people who have had a poor experience. Insurers with high satisfaction scores retained a higher percentage of customers–among customers who are highly satisfied after one year, 81% opt to stay with their company, compared with 61% of consumers who are less satisfied.

 

This is not to say that price doesn’t factor in to the decision to switch companies. Eight out of ten customers select the lowest-price insurer, but often do not stay there long. While the average consumer can tolerate a low premium increase, hikes of more than $200 triple the rate of customers who decide to switch. Still, switching has its perks: customers saved an average of $300 when switching insurers in 2013, and the longer customers had been with their previous insurer, the greater the savings.  Not bad!

 

If you’re unhappy with the service you get from your current insurer, the team at Agency by the Mall can recommend one of our eleven excellent companies and save you a bundle to boot! Call about a quote and replace your negative experiences with positive ones.

Best of the Worst

Tuesday, July 15th, 2014

If you think your job is tough, imagine what it’s like for Mercury Insurance’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU) employees, who pursue arsonists, thieves, and other criminals on a daily basis. But they aren’t cops: these specially trained individuals work to combat insurance fraud and uncover thousands of false claims every year, saving the company and their policy holders millions of dollars. Since its foundation in 1978, the unit has seen a plethora of fraudulent claims, but a few have stood out to them as particularly ludicrous. Here, we count down the top 3 strangest insurance fraud cases the SIU ever faced:

 

Image courtesy of http://www.insurancequotes.com

#3:

The insured in question had been struggling for some time to sell his mobile home, which was insured for $160,000. Conveniently, after several months without a sale, it was burned to the ground by an arsonist, entitling the insured to quite a bit of money.

Understandably, Mercury’s SIU thought this “arson” sounded a bit too good to be true.

They began an investigation, quickly locating the arsonist, who turned out to be the insured’s next door neighbor–he had been severely burned during the crime and arrested soon afterwards. Investigators then obtained the name of a middleman, a 22 year old who was a friend of the insured, and discovered that he had hired the arsonist. Before the SIU could interrogate him, however, he died in a suspicious motorcycle accident after a night of drinking with none other but the insured.

The arsonist was sentenced to 16 years in prison, during which time he implicated the insured and exposed the plot via recorded phone calls. The insured ended up with a lengthy prison sentence, and, needless to say, his claim was denied.

 

 

 

 

#2:

The insured’s car lightly grazed a stationary public bus. Neither vehicle sustained any damage, though one of the bus’s passengers claimed that she suffered significant neck and back injuries.

Image courtesy of http://blog-s1.intuitstatic.com

Sensing something fishy, the SIU uncovered video footage of the event from a surveillance camera on the bus. Sure enough, the footage shows the woman in question standing upright for several seconds and flopping onto the floor with a clearly faked injury. Her case was dismissed by the court.

 

 

 

#1:

An LAPD detective reported his expensive BMW was stolen from a Los Angeles strip mall. Police responders became suspicious when the detective’s nephew arrived on the scene mere seconds after they did. Suspicions deepened when the detective suffered a gunshot wound under ambiguous circumstances not long after the theft. He claimed that both crimes were gang retaliation for his work, but the real story was quite different.

Working with the LAPD, the SIU was able to prove that the detective had orchestrated everything, including the shooting. The investigation revealed that the detective was more than $1 million in debt and faked the carjacking to collect on his insurance policy. He later shot himself in an attempt to bolster his weak story. He pled guilty to all charges, was forced to pay restitution, and lost his job at the LAPD.

 

Pretty crazy, huh? Some people will go to any lengths to scam insurance companies out of money, but the SIU is on the case!

Have a Firecrackin’ Fourth!

Thursday, July 3rd, 2014

Starting tonight and heading straight through the long weekend, Americans across the country will light up the night sky with patriotic fireworks displays, a staple of Independence Day festivities. Unfortunately–and perhaps unsurprisingly, given their nature–the fireworks frenzy comes with a price. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fireworks have caused tens of thousands of fires and millions of dollars of property damage, not to mention thousands of injuries ranging from minor burns to blindness.

Image courtesy of Livingston Township

Did those statistics scare you away from hosting your own fireworks show and send you running for your local town-sponsored one? Good. Public displays are the safest way to enjoy fireworks. But if you’re bent on lighting your own, remember these tips to ensure a safe holiday for you and your family:

 

NEVER allow children to handle or light ANY type of fireworks. Even supervised children are more likely to injure themselves than responsible adults. Many people believe that sparklers are a fun way for children to celebrate, but the fact is that sparklers burn at over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit and are responsible for 31% of all fireworks-related injuries–more than any other kind.

Direct fireworks away from people, animals, homes, trees, and vehicles. This is a no-brainer–don’t aim explosives at people or things you care about. Make sure there is plenty of open space around the ignition site before lighting any kind of fireworks. Make sure to light your fireworks one at a time and move away quickly after lighting. Different kinds of fireworks have different ranges, so be sure to check the packages to determine how wide of a berth you’ll need.

Image courtesy of CPFC

Always wear eye and ear protection when lighting fireworks. Eyes and ears are among the most commonly injured body parts in fireworks accidents, and the injuries often have long-term effects, including deafness and blindness. Exercise caution with this in mind.

Dispose of fireworks properly. Allow fireworks to cool before picking them up and keep a hose or bucket of water nearby to douse all fireworks–used AND unused–before disposing of them. If a firework doesn’t go off, don’t relight it, as it might go off unexpectedly and harm people and/or property.

Secure pets in a confined area. Many pets get frightened by the loud noises and flashing lights that fireworks create, and thus are more likely to bolt away from your home or yard. Keep them in enclosed spaces like a fenced-in yard or a crate. If your pets are especially anxious around fireworks, ask your veterinarian to recommend a safe calming method.

Keep an eye out for fires. Clear your yard and gutters clear of flammable materials such as leaves and pinecones. Check nearby trees and houses for sparks after you light each firework and call the fire department immediately if anything catches fire.

Never use homemade or illegal fireworks. Fireworks-related deaths are rare, but all 8 of such fatalities last year occurred as a result of using homemade or illegal fireworks, not to mention the 8,600 others who sustained injuries in this manner. Avoid buying fireworks that is packaged in plain brown paper, as this is a sign that the merchandise was designed for professional pyrotechnic displays and pose a serious risk to the average consumer.

 

The Agency by the Mall team wishes all our customers a happy and safe Fourth of July!

For a FREE Quote call 610-543-3113 or email info@agencybythemall.com or text 610-405-2921.


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