9 Tips for Safer Grilling

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that seven out of every ten adults living in the U.S. have a grill or a smoker (according to Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association).  The NFPA further reveals that in recent years fire departments responded to a yearly average of 8,900 fires that involved either grills, barbecues or hibachis, consisting of 3,900+ structure fires and 4,900+ outside and/or unclassified fires.

Each year, when the warmer weather hits and the BBQ grills start getting more use, the risk of home fires increases.  Here are some tips that may help to improve your grill safety.

1. Any grill, whether charcoal, wood or propane fueled will produce carbon monoxide, (or CO), when being used.  CO is a colorless, odorless gas that can cause serious injury and even death when breathed in for any length of time.  Prudent grill safety demands that you never use a grill indoors or anywhere you're not surrounded by fresh air.
2. Your grill should be moved at least 10 feet from any surface that can burn.  This includes the siding of your home and your garage.  Nothing should be above your grill, including a patio cover, roof overhang or tree branches.  Don't push your grill up against a deck railing.  This could become hot and start to burn.
3. Make sure your grill is placed on a flat, even, stable surface to prevent it from tipping over.
4. Check your propane grill for gas leaks before using it for the first time each grilling season.  Spray a 50/50 solution of dish soap and water on valves and hoses and look for bubbles.  Leaks may require hose tightening or replacement.
5. Never leave your grill unattended while in use.  If you must walk away, have another adult take your place watching the grill.
6. Keep a small spray bottle filled with water close at hand to extinguish any small flare-ups caused by fat dripping from the meat you're cooking.
7. A fire extinguisher should be nearby your grill and you should know how to effectively use it without having to stop to read the directions.
8. Clean your grill regularly, preferably after each use.  Don't allow fat or grease to build up as this is a major cause of fire flare-ups.
9. Never turn on the propane while your grill cover is closed.  This can cause gas to build up and, when ignited, explode into a fireball.

Is Motorcycle Insurance Required?

 

North Carolina state law requires that all motor vehicles operated on public roads within the state be covered by at least a minimum amount of liability insurance.  This includes motorcycles and motor scooters.  While there are a variety of other insurance coverages available to motorcycle owners, only liability coverage is made mandatory by state law. 

Liability insurance is what helps protect you from financial losses if you are found legally responsible for causing losses to others while operating your motorcycle.  These losses can be in the form of physical injuries, death or property damage/destruction.  The state has set minimum requirements for the amount of mandatory liability coverage which are as follows:

1. Bodily injury coverage - $30K per person per accident and $60K for all persons per accident
2. Property damage coverage - $25K per accident

How Much Do You Need?

While these above outlined dollar figures are the minimum amounts of coverage required, you may elect to have higher limits on your policy.  This makes sense, since an accident for which you are held liable can amount to many times these minimums.

Motorcycle liability insurance helps pay for third-party injury expenses including medical costs, lost wages, funeral costs (in the event of a death) and even long-term disability costs.  It also pays for property damage, including damage other vehicles suffer.  It may also pay toward the costs of defending you in court if you're subject to a liability suit.

With liability coverage only paying up to policy limits, it's obvious that any accident you cause could end up costing you many, many times your policy limit if you're only carrying the minimum liability amounts.  Experts recommend you buy five to ten times the required amounts, depending on how much in assets you need to protect.  You might also consider adding an umbrella policy to your coverage.  These policies typically have limits starting at one million dollars.

Additional, Optional Motorcycle Coverage

Although not required by law, there are a number of other types of motorcycle insurance coverage that are highly recommended for anyone riding on two wheels.  Statistics tell us that the majority of motorcycle insurance claims are for single vehicle accidents where liability coverage doesn't come into play.  Cyclists should consider the following:

• Collision coverage
• Non-collision (or comprehensive) coverage
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
• Medical payments coverage

Some insurers will offer lower premiums for lay-up insurance when your bike is stored away for the winter.

How To Choose an Insurance Company

 

Buying insurance can be a potentially overwhelming experience due to the vast number of confusing definitions, conditions, exclusions and coverages involved.  On top of this, you want to choose an insurance company that's well-regarded in the industry, financially strong, with a good claims history and top reviews from clients with whom they've done business.  Here's a breakdown of several factors to consider when you're trying to choose an insurance company:

• Understand the difference between an independent insurance agent or broker and an insurance company agent.  An independent agent likely has access to policies from numerous different insurance providers.  While an insurance company agent can only write policies from his or her own company, the independent agent can write whatever policy is best suited to your particular insurance needs.  To make matters even simpler, an independent will do the research and legwork to find the best choices and then provide you with multiple options to consider.
• When considering a particular insurer, research their history and look into their reputation.  How long have they been in business?  What products do they offer and in what states are they sold?  What can be said about their company leadership and community involvement?  What are their professed vision and values?
• Assess the financial strength of a company you're considering and don't accept any insurance offer from a firm with less than an "A" (excellent) rating.  A.M. Best is the #1 independent insurance company rating-company in the U.S., but you can find several others here.
• Choose an insurance company that sells the type of insurance coverage you need.  Many companies give discounts for customers who carry multiple policies (e.g., homeowners, life, vehicle) with them, so check into this.  Check for all other discounts.
• While price is an important consideration for most people when they choose an insurance company, it shouldn't be the only consideration.  A lower price may mean a lower level of coverage, so always compare apples to apples.  Keep in mind the old axiom that you get what you pay for.  There may be a number of reasons for the price differences between different companies.  One may be because the lower priced is new to the market, which may mean it's lacking in experience.

Get with a trusted broker and explore the companies and coverages available.  Seek professional guidance and utilize their ability to uncover the best protection at the fairest price available.

Homeowners Insurance: Taking an Inventory of Your Personal Belongings

If you're of a mind to get the most value out of your Greensboro homeowners insurance policy, you need to take care of an often overlooked detail. That's the creation of a comprehensive home inventory list of your family's personal belongings. You may have thought about doing this at some time in the past, but have neglected getting out your pen and paper and writing down the details. As an alternative, you could pull out your smart phone or video camera and make a complete documentary of what possessions you have in your home.

If you fall victim to a disaster such as a house fire that destroys your home and your personal possessions, a detailed inventory listing of everything that's been lost will be invaluable when making a claim on your Greensboro homeowners insurance policy. Having a detailed, up-to-date inventory list of your personal possessions can help in several ways:

1. Your insurance claim can be settled more quickly and more easily.
2. An inventory list can help you to verify losses you'll need to report on your income tax return.
3. Itemizing your personal possessions can help you in making sure you purchase and maintain the correct amount of homeowners insurance.

Where Do You Start?

Everyone knows that taking an inventory and documenting a list of your personal possessions is a good idea, but we also know it's easy to let a good idea slip by without taking the needed action to make it happen. Creating a complete possessions inventory can seem a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. The trick is to START NOW!

You can start small, with just one room, and don't worry if you don't complete the inventory all in one sitting. A good plan can be to just do one room in your house per day, every day, until you've finished. Don't get overwhelmed. Even a partial inventory list is better than none.

Here are a few tips to consider:

• Record basic info on items such as where and when it was purchased, make/model, purchase price and serial number (if applicable).
• Record clothing by category, such as five suits, four pairs of jeans, 10 pairs of shoes, etc.
• Make special note of very expensive items (jewelry, artwork, furs, etc.) and make sure your policy covers them fully. If not, 
• add a floater.
• Store your completed inventory list in a safe, off-premises location.