We take our pets everywhere. On a much needed vacation, heading to the park or it’s a quick trip to the veterinarian for a check-up – some furry passengers just love to ride. But traveling in automobiles can be extremely dangerous for your family companion – and you.

Loose pets inside of vehicles can become a deadly distraction for drivers. Moreover, unrestrained pets can become hazards themselves during an accident. Without proper restraint, a simple joyride with your four-legged friend could result in harsh consequences for everyone.

Here are a few important tips that will help to keep you, your best friend, and others safe and happy on your next trip:

• To avoid unnecessary stress and anxiety, work your pet up to longer trips by taking shorter treks before taking on a long expedition.
• Just in case you and your pet become separated, be sure that all ID tags are properly affixed to your pet’s collar and that they have your current contact information, including cell number(s).
• Update your microchip registration and pet license information to ensure its current and consider including the name and phone number of an emergency contact.
• Never leave pets unattended inside of vehicles. Remember that cars heat up fast – even with the windows cracked!
• Properly restrain, contain or crate your pets inside of your vehicle prior to your trip. Consider purchasing a specially designed pet seatbelt, carrier or barrier to avoid irreversible consequences due to distractions or other mishaps.
• Never allow pets to sit on your lap or remain in the front seat while you drive.
• Never allow pets to stick any portion of their bodies out the window. Although most dogs love to stick their heads out open windows, the wind can seriously irritate mucous membranes and blow pieces of grit or other debris into their eyes. Pets could also be seriously injured by objects as you drive down the road.
• Pets should never be transported in the bed of a pickup truck. Not only could your pet injure, or even kill himself/herself – he/she could cause an accident which may harm someone else. It is estimated that at least 100,000 dogs die in accidents each year because they were riding in truck beds.
• Do not leash your pet inside of a truck bed even when parked to avoid strangulation hazards and because open truck beds do not provide any protection from the weather. The hot sun can heat the metal floor of a truck bed enough to burn a pet’s paws. A dog left sitting in the broiling sun without water or shade may suffer from heat stroke.

Keeping pets safe is every pet owner’s responsibility. Being a safe driver is not only your obligation – it’s the law!

Correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent.The best way to keep your child safe in the car is to use the right car seat in the right way. Here are some car seat safety tips to protect your most precious cargo.

Hard Facts about Safety in Cars

• Road injuries are the leading cause of preventable deaths and injuries to children in the United States.
• Correctly used child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent.
• More than half of car seats are not used or installed correctly.

Top Tips about Car Seat Safety

• Buying the right car seat. Your baby needs to ride in a rear-facing car seat as long as possible until 2 or more years. When your child has outgrown that seat, you are ready for a forward-facing car seat. Get more details about buying the right car seat for your child.
• Installing your car seat. You’ll need to decide on using either the seat belt or lower anchors to secure your car seat. Both are safe, but don’t use them both at the same time. Once your child is forward facing, it is important to use the tether with the seat belt or lower anchors. Get more details about installing your car seat.
• Getting the right fit. A properly-fitted harness gives the best possible protection for your child. Here are more details about getting the right fit for your child.
• When to change your car seat. Look on the car seat label to make sure your child is still within the weight, height and age limits for that seat. Get details about when to change your car seat.

Learn More

Many kids spend a lot of time in the car, so it is important to learn how to keep them safe on the road. There’s a lot to know! Learn more car seat safety tips to protect your child.

In many situations, having insurance really isn’t optional. After certain disasters, you could even end up bankrupt without certain coverage. Here’s a quick look at just a few example scenarios of what could happen without insurance.

Your neighbor sues you for a dog bite: If your neighbor came over to your house for a party and got bitten by your dog, they could sue you. With the right homeowners insurance, your liability coverage would protect you from the costs of a lawsuit, legal defenses, and any settlements you might have to pay. But if you didn’t have home insurance, you’d have to pay these fees out of pocket, which could really add up.

You hit a deer with your car: If you’re driving at night and a deer jumps out in front of you, you might mistakenly think the auto insurance you’ve got would automatically cover the cost of repairs to your car. But without comprehensive or other than collision coverage, your policy actually wouldn’t reimburse you for the damage. You’d have to pay to repair or replace your vehicle by yourself.

Your business gets vandalized by rioters: Especially during times of civil unrest, your business can be vulnerable to vandalism and other attacks by rioters and disgruntled citizens. If your business got vandalized by rioters and you didn’t have a business insurance policy, you'd have to pay any resulting property damage out of pocket. If the damage was substantial, you could end up facing temporary closures or even bankruptcy.

It’s critical to always be equipped with the proper coverage for your home, car, business, and more. Without it, you could really end up in a world of trouble not just financially, but otherwise. An independent insurance agent can help you avoid these disasters and much more.

Here’s How an Independent Insurance Agent Could Help

When it comes to helping insurance customers avoid common mistakes when purchasing insurance, no one’s better equipped than an independent insurance agent. Independent insurance agents search through multiple carriers to find providers who specialize in every type of insurance, deliver quotes from a number of different sources, and help you walk through them all to find the best blend of coverage and cost.

Contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance for more information.

trustedchoice.com

Shopping for insurance can be stressful and time-consuming, and it’s important to avoid certain mistakes during the process. If you’re not careful, you could end up buying coverage from an illegitimate company or walking away without the right policy.

Check out this handy guide to the mistakes every insurance shopper needs to avoid so you can be prepared.

What to Avoid When Purchasing Insurance

It’s important to know what to do and look for when shopping for insurance, but it’s equally important to be aware of what to avoid. Following these tips when purchasing insurance can help save you from headaches and much worse down the road.

Here are some pitfalls you must avoid when shopping for and purchasing insurance

• Being swayed by low prices alone: Sometimes insurance companies that offer low prices on coverage could end up costing you in other ways. You might get matched with a policy that doesn’t cover everything you need it to, when paying just a bit more for coverage with a better insurance company could have avoided this issue.
• Not checking if an insurance company is legit: Insurance expert Jeffery Green said that it’s critical to make sure the insurance company and agent are licensed in your state. Unfortunately, fake insurance policies are available and sometimes folks don’t find out their coverage isn’t legitimate until they really need to use it.
• Only buying the bare minimum coverage: One common example of this is folks who only purchase their state’s minimum requirements for car insurance. Later on, they’re left without valuable coverage for disasters like theft, flood damage, or even collisions.
• These are just a few common mistakes you need to avoid when purchasing insurance. To ensure you don’t make these mistakes or others when shopping for your coverage, enlist the help of an independent insurance agent.

How to Avoid These Mistakes When Shopping for Insurance

• It’s not enough to know what mistakes to avoid when shopping for insurance, you also need to know how to avoid them. Here are just a few handy tips to avoiding big mistakes when hunting for coverage.
• Research the insurance company first: Check websites like AM Best or Moody’s to determine an insurance company’s financial health before you buy from them. Ratings on these websites can help you spot a legitimate company that’ll offer you quality coverage and service, and that is a good choice for awarding your trust and money.
• Check customer reviews: Another easy way to avoid getting stuck with a scam company is to read customer reviews online before buying from them. Websites like Consumer Affairs and Clearsurance offer dozens of customer reviews per company.
• Check for business complaints: You can also look at the Better Business Bureau’s website’s rating of an insurance company and read customer reviews there. The BBB’s website will also show if the carrier’s had any complaints filed against them, and for what.
• Work with an independent insurance agent: Independent insurance agents are essentially your greatest ally when shopping for and purchasing insurance. Not only are they familiar with lots of different insurance companies and their rates, but they’re also insurance experts. So not only can they help you find affordable coverage, they’ll also make sure you purchase the types of coverage you really need.

Independent insurance agents won’t let you walk away with just the bare minimum coverage, or the cheapest coverage available from a company that’s not reputable. It’s their job to make your insurance journey not only simpler but safer, so you can relax knowing you’ll get the quality coverage you deserve from a reputable company.

For help with insurance questions, contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance.

Source: trustedchoice.com

Driving in Winter Conditions

• Check your vehicle emergency supplies kit and replenish it if necessary.
• Bring enough of the following for each person:
  • Blankets or sleeping bag
  • Rain gear, extra sets of dry clothing, mittens, socks, and wool hats
  • Newspapers for insulation
  • Plastic bags for sanitation
  • Canned fruit, nuts, and high energy snacks
  • Warm broth in a thermos and several bottles of water
• Bring your cell phone and make sure the battery is charged.
• Plan to travel during daylight and, if possible, take another person with you.
• Let someone know your destination, your route, and when you expect to arrive.
• Before leaving, check the weather reports for all areas you will be passing through.
• Watch out for sleet, freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and dense fog.

If You Are Stranded

• Stay in the vehicle and wait for help. Do not leave the vehicle to search for assistance unless help is visible within 100 yards (91 meters).
• Display a trouble sign to indicate you need help. Hang a brightly colored cloth (preferably red) on the radio antenna and raise the hood after snow stops falling.
• Turn on the engine for about 10 minutes each hour. Use the heater while the engine is running. Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow, and slightly open a downwind window for ventilation.
• Leave the overhead light on when the engine is running so that you can be seen.
• Do light exercises to keep up circulation. Clap your hands and move your arms and legs occasionally.
• If more than one person is in the vehicle, take turns sleeping.
• Huddle together for warmth. Wrap yourself in newspapers, maps, and even the removable floor mats to help trap more body heat.
• Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.
• Drink fluids to avoid dehydration, which can make you more susceptible to the ill effects of cold and to heart attacks.
• Avoid overexertion. Shoveling snow or pushing a vehicle can bring on a heart attack or make other medical conditions worse.