Helpful Tips

Accidents can happen at any time. Here are some helpful tips that you can implement to reduce your risk of loss or the best options once a loss has occurred.
Remember to share this information with family and friends. Let’s work together to ensure your safety!

  • How to Prevent Vehicle Theft
  • What to Do When You Are Involved in an Automobile Accident
  • Tips for Inside your Home
  • Tips for Outside Your Home
  • What to do if Your House is Broken Into

How to Prevent Vehicle Theft

Although there is no way you can ensure your vehicle will not be stolen, you can still take a few easy steps to prevent the likelihood of it happening, by making it more difficult for a thief to steal your vehicle and its contents.

  • Always lock your vehicle.
  • Never leave your keys in the vehicle.
  • Turn off your ignition whenever you leave your car.
  • Avoid parking on the street.
  • Conceal items left in your car, keep things in the trunk and never leave money or compact discs in the open.
  • Whenever possible, park your vehicle in a well-lit, well-guarded, highly visible area.
  • Ask your neighbors to watch out for your vehicle and do the same for them.
  • Install an anti-theft deterrent such as car alarms or an ignition disabler.

What to Do When You Are Involved in an Automobile Accident

Being involved in an accident can be a very stressful event. To help you protect both yourself and your interests, we have provided some basic hints:

  • Call the police immediately, and an ambulance if necessary.
  • Record details of the accident including date, time and location, a description of the accident, any injuries, and any charges made.
  • Record details concerning the other party and vehicle such as owner’s name and address, phone number, and vehicle year, make and model.
  • It is very important to obtain the insurance information of the other driver. This includes the name of the insurance company and the policy number and the name of the broker or agent.
  • Obtain a copy of the police report from the attending officer.

Tips for Inside your Home

The goal of indoor crime proofing is to secure your premises, and to make them appear occupied at all times. Here are a few simple tips:

  • Secure your premises.
  • Close blinds and curtains at night so that a burglar can’t scope your belongings.
  • Lock all doors and windows before leaving.
  • Lock windows so that they can’t be opened from the outside. If they can’t be locked, you can pin them by drilling a hole through both window frames and inserting a bolt or metal pin. The pin must be easily removable for emergency situations.
  • Home burglar alarm systems are a great deterrent. Even if you have an alarm system, don’t neglect the other security measures available to you. An alarm provides an extra layer of security, but is no replacement for good common sense. Alarm owners should still do what they can to make sure their home is not an attractive target for thieves.
  • Protect your valuables.
  • Take an inventory of your home with a videotape and/or photographs.
  • Keep jewelry and other valuable assets in a safety deposit box or an unlikely place (i.e. not your bedroom).

Tips for Outside your Home

There are many things that you can do to the exterior of your house or in the yard to deter burglars and make it more difficult to force entry.

  • Keep your shrubbery cut back so that it doesn’t block windows and doors.
  • Secure window air conditioners from the inside.
  • Illuminate as much of your property as possible.
  • Secure any glass that is less than 40′ from a door lock. Either coat exterior glass with an acrylic or polycarbonate to strengthen, or replace with laminated or tempered glass.
  • Door hinges that are on the outside should have a non-removable center pin that can’t be tampered with.
  • Install deadbolt locks.
  • Dogs are great deterrents to burglars. Even a strategically placed “Beware of Dog” sticker can make a burglar think twice.
  • Pin sliding patio doors together when closed. Another easy security step is to drill a hole in the upper track and insert a screw that extends out into the runner to prevent the door from being lifted up and out of its track.
  • Ensure that a burglar cannot access the roof from high trees or a ladder left outside.

What to do if your House is broken Into

Despite your best efforts, a burglar may still penetrate your home. If you return to find that your house has been robbed:

  • Don’t stay – Always think of your safety first.
  • Never confront a burglar or block the exit route.
  • Go immediately to a neighbor’s home or nearby location and phone the police.

Read your policy: Yes, even the fine print! Ask questions. Keep your policy at hand. Call your insurer to keep your policy up-to-date, inform your agent of any changes (new car, new job, new driver, etc.), and ask periodically about any possible discounts. Review your policy yearly with your insurer.