A Room-Specific Emergency Guide for your Home

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The rights and responsibilities of Sandypoint, ID residents might vary depending upon the type of home insurance coverage purchased. In any case, it is important that you know what emergency equipment you need in each room of your home.

How to Keep Your Whole Home Safe

You can improve your home safety by having at least one fire extinguisher on every floor. It also is advisable to have a smoke alarm and carbon dioxide detector on each level. Extra batteries, dry food, water and extra batteries can also be stored in multiple locations in case of a natural disaster or fire. First aid supplies should also be stored in one or more location on each floor.

Emergency Equipment Needed in Each Room

The information you see below about what you need in each room is in addition to the supplies recommended for use on each floor. You also might want to have extras of these in more than one place in your house.

Kitchen/Dining Room – In addition to the smoke alarm, fire extinguisher and first aid supplies; this room should also include about three to five days’ worth of non-perishable food in your cabinets.

Bathroom – In addition to the standard emergency equipment and first aid, you might want to keep extra hygiene supplies here. Medications and supplements also might be well-stored here as long as you keep them dry.

Bedrooms – Keep an extra supply of clothing, blanket and shoes in a fire-resistant location such as chest at the end of your bed.

Living Room — Here is where you can store an emergency radio that runs on batteries. A landline phone when available is also help in urgent situations when you don’t have cell phone service. 

Basement/Pantry – This is another place where you can store extra food and first aid supplies. You also might want to put water here because it would stay cool in these locations in case of a power outage. As long as this area stays dry, keep some extra power supplies and alternate safe fuel down here too.

You might have questions about what kinds of disasters Sandpoint, ID homeowners insurance might cover. If so, please contact The Insurance Shop USA for more information. 

 

5 Tips to Adopt for Safe Driving

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According to the Idaho Transportation Department, there were more than 22,000 motor vehicle crashes in 2014. Adopting safe driving habits should be a priority if you want to avoid a collision on the road.

  1. Wear a seatbelt while driving. There is a reason the seatbelt is also called a safety belt. It can save lives if you are ever in a car accident. Seatbelts are intended to protect your spinal cord and brain while keeping you inside the vehicle in the event of a crash.
  2. Keep your windows clean. Your windows become caked with mud, dirt, spots, and other debris from fluctuating weather conditions. You should maintain window-washing fluid to keep the debris from clouding your visual field.
  3. Pass vehicles at a safe distance. Keep a distance of approximately 3 seconds between you and the car you wish to pass. Being too close can limit the right amount of space needed and cause a collision, especially on highways where speeds are elevated.
  4. Take steps to stay alert. Staying alert can be something as simple as slowing down at an intersection, whether it has a stop sign or not. In neighborhoods where children may play, you should also be alert. A child could run into the road in an instant.
  5. Adjust your driving for cloudy weather conditions. The first few minutes after it starts to rain is when the road is the most slippery. When it begins to rain, oils that are embedded in the way begin to lift. You should be most cautious during this time and drive slower.

For more tips about adopting safe driving habits, visit The Insurance Shop USA in Sandpoint, Idaho. The independent insurance agents can also explore new policy options and answer any questions you may have regarding your current policy.

How to Keep Your Car Clean

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Your car is often one of the first things that new friends and co-workers notice about you.  For that reason, it’s just as important to keep it clean as it is to keep your home clean.  If you’re short on time, however, that can be hard to do.  Follow these tips to keep your car looking great.

  1. Collect trash regularly.  Make it a habit to collect a bag of trash every time you’re in a drive-through line or waiting to pick the kids up from school.  Make it a game among the kids; whoever fills a trash bad first wins a small prize (or just gets to pick the radio station that day).
  2. Never leave your car empty-handed.  Every time you get out of the car, make sure you’re taking something else out of it.  This can really reduce the clutter that tends to accumulate.  Make sure to get your kids on board, especially if they tend to leave school papers and sporting equipment in your vehicle.
  3. Keep car cleaning wipes in your car.  These are easy to store and they make it easy to clean all kinds of messes.  Look for upholstery wipes to immediately wipe up any spilled liquids.  Also keep glass wipes on hand to quickly remove anything that gets on windows and the windshield (this is also a good safety tip).

After taking such good care of your car, you want to make sure that you have a good auto insurance policy to protect it as well.  Call the agents at The Insurance Shop USA to find an affordable policy that will give you the protection you need.

Rental Car Options in Sandypoint, Indiana

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Located in the heart of Idaho, Sandypoint allows it’s residents to lake Pend Orielle and all the beautiful surrounding rocky mountain wildlife the state has to offer. So visiting friends and family will probably want a car to drive, to explore the countryside themselves, so they aren’t relying on you to drive them around. Below are some rental car options in Sandypoint, Idaho, all with different pros and cons.

JUST RENT A CAR

Renting a car at the airport or a local car rental place near Sandypoint is probably the simplest option, but can be expensive. Sure, they can rent a car for a low day rate, but they will have to turn down the insurance on the vehicle.  This is usually a bad idea in general, due to the winding mountain roads in this part of Idaho. The inclement weather can be hazardous and dangerous to drive in and the wildlife that could always dart out in front of them. Accidents in a rental car without coverage can be quite expensive and then there’s the tacked on the cost of gas, to boot.

HIRE A CAR

A taxi or a private driver is another option though this is undoubtedly the most expensive way to get around Sandypoint, Idaho, as they’ll be hiring not only the car but the driver. That said, they won’t be directly paying for gas or having to worry about getting into an accident, so it may be the best way to get around the area if they can afford it.

LET THEM BORROW YOUR CAR

Allowing friends and family to borrow your car may be best for your visitors as it’s probably the cheapest and most efficient. However, it could put you in a problematic situation if they happen to have an accident, as your auto insurance may not cover them and you will suddenly be at fault for allowing them to drive. So check your auto insurance policy and consider getting a new one through The Insurance Shop USA, who serves the Sandypoint, Idaho area to make sure visitors borrowing your vehicle will be covered.

 

Home Liability Insurance: What Is Covered

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Home liability coverage is commonly provided on homeowners Insurance policies. It is important that you know what it covers so that you can determine whether the limits are sufficient or if they need to be added to based upon how much protection you desire.

Anyone visiting your home has the potential to hurt themselves. Some of it may be as a result of negligence, while others may be due to a freak accident, such as slipping on ice near your sidewalk or tripping in a hole in your yard.

Regardless, you want to make sure that the home liability coverage is in place so that you can file a claim for the insurance company to cover the majority of expenses. Otherwise, you could find yourself spending a lot of money to make things right.

The coverage may be able to take care of such things as:

  • Legal expenses
  • Pain and suffering
  • Medical bills
  • Time lost from work
  • Death benefits

While you hope that an accident isn’t too severe, or would potentially lead to death, it is important for you to have the protection because the bills could otherwise bankrupt you.

Think about it. Should someone decide to get a lawyer, it could result in tens of thousands of dollars in a pain and suffering settlement, and this doesn’t even include the medical bills that they still have to pay. You as the homeowner are the one held financially responsible if you’re found liable, and therefore the coverage needs to be there – or you could be in serious financial despair.

Contact one of our independent insurance agents at The Insurance Shop USA today to learn more about home liability coverage and how you can control the limits within your homeowner’s insurance policy in Rathdrum.

 

 

Top Tips for Driving in Winter Weather in Rathdrum

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If you’re willing to get out in the cold weather and take on the slippery roadways, then it’s important that you be as prepared as possible. Proper preparation will require taking several factors into consideration. For starters, you’ll want to make sure that in the event you were to become stranded on the side of the road that you have proper attire. This will include having lots of blankets and winter gear stored in your trunk. You’ll also want to keep a charged up cell phone on you at all times. Even if the phone doesn’t have carrier service on it, you can still use it to call 911 if need be. 

Switch Out Your Tires

Another way to be ready for driving in winter weather is by switching out your tires for ones that go well in the snow. Winter tires are well known for having a certain type of tread on them that enables them to strongly grip the roadway even when it’s wet and slick. As you can imagine, these tires tend to be a bit more expensive than their counterparts, which is why you should switch them out to ensure you get the most use out of them as possible during the parts of the year that they need to be on your car. 

Be Careful with 4WD

Just because you have a vehicle with 4WD capabilities doesn’t mean it’s going to brake any faster than vehicles that are only 2WD. In fact, because 4WD vehicles are usually quite large, it will likely take you longer to brake, especially when sliding on ice or snow. 

To learn more about driving the safe way in winter weather, contact an agent from The Insurance Shop USA today. 

Sandypoint: Reasons to Work with an Independent Insurance Agent

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When a person goes to purchase insurance, there is a great need to understand that policies can be purchased through multiple providers. In fact, purchasing insurance through multiple providers is often a great choice to make because it helps lead to greater savings in the long run. And even when buying through various brands of insurance, as long as a person goes through an independent agent, bundling discounts are still available, which leads to even greater savings. 

If you’re looking for insurance — no matter the type of policy — you should always consider the advantages that are to be gained by going through an independent agent in Sandypoint. Here’s a close look at three benefits you are sure to gain. 

Individualized Attention Means Better Customer Service

When you go through an independent agent, you can have peace of mind in knowing that this person will handle all of your claims. By working with the same person each time, this helps ensure that the claims process goes as smoothly and quickly as possible. And with better customer service comes greater satisfaction with all of your claims. To make sure you are getting the attention you deserve, make sure to contact an independent insurance agent today. 

Greater Choice of Policies

Another excellent reason to go through an independent agent is because you will have a greater choice of policies to choose from. No matter the type of insurance you are looking for, a greater choice of policies will lead to more competitive pricing, meaning you can save a lot of money. 

To learn more about acquiring services through an independent agent in Sandypoint, contact The Insurance Shop USA today. 

Ways To Prepare For The Cold As A First Time Homeowner

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It is almost winter and there is never a guarantee of how warm or how cold it may be. As a homeowner, it is always best to prepare for the worst. As a first time homeowner, it can be difficult to know exactly where to start with this task. There are many ways you can prepare for a cold winter that will keep you and your family warm and safe all winter long. Follow these steps and you should not have any surprises you cannot handle. 

Prepare for the Unexpected
In the winter, a power outage can occur at any time. This can occur because of a snow storm or various other reasons. No matter the cause, it is best to be prepared so you can stay warm. If the power goes out, you will need to have a heat source that does not rely on electricity. Make sure you have an option for this and that you have everything in your home to use it. Also, you never know how long your power outage will last so it is best to be stocked with all of the essentials. You should have a winter emergency kit with all of the medicine needed, food, water, and candles. 

Prep For Possible Issues
Before it gets really cold, make sure your furnace is working properly. Have a professional come out and inspect it for any issues so you can tackle them before you and your family suffer through the cold waiting on a repair. This is also the perfect time to take a look at your homeowners policy for any gaps. If you do not have one, you may want to consider getting one. You can call an agent at The Insurance Shop USA serving the Sandypoint, ID, area to help you with these insurance tasks.

Fall Car Care In Sandypoint

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Sandypoint can be a lot of fun. As the weather gets colder throughout Idaho, there are car care tips that you will want to follow to prepare. This will ensure that your car is in the best condition possible to deal with all of the fall weather.

One of the first things you need to do is check on the battery. Connections need to be clean and tight because the colder weather can be especially harsh on batteries. The charging system needs to be in good condition.

The entire heater and defroster system needs to be inspected as well. An HVAC professional can look at the cooling performance to ensure that you have the interior comfort that you need. This way when you turn on the heat, you can be sure that it works properly. You also want to have the defroster checked. This is a great time to have the wiper blades and the cabin air filter replaced as well.

Tires should be checked during the fall months as well. You want to make sure that there is a good amount of tire tread so that there is sufficient grip on the roads. Also, note that as the temperatures get colder, the PSI can change dramatically.

You may also want to consider having your brakes inspected at this time. This is something that should be done annually and the fall can be your reminder. After all, with all the ice and snow that may be on the roads, you want to make sure that your brakes are capable of stopping regardless of road conditions.

At the Insurance Shop USA, we’re here to answer questions you have about auto insurance. Call today and one of our agents can find quotes, explain coverage, and help you get an affordable policy you can rely on in Sandypoint.

 

Save On Car Insurance In ID If You’re A Student

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When you live in Idaho and you’re a student, there’s good news. You have the ability to save money on car insurance. There are a few things you need to know about buying a policy. This will ensure you are getting the best price on a monthly premium as possible.

There are several discounts that you may qualify for as a student. You may qualify for all of them or only one of them. Knowing about them all will make it easier for you to make some changes so you have the chance to qualify for them all down the road.

The top discounts for students include:

  • Good student
  • Low mileage
  • Defensive driving
  • Safe driver

Each of these discounts can be substantial – and they are not going to be the same from all of the insurance companies in Idaho.

The good student discount is typically for students with a 3.0 GPA or better. If you don’t have good grades, you know it can be advantageous to improve your grades so you can potentially lower premiums next semester.

Low mileage is a discount as well. If you’re traveling less than 20 miles a day, such as when you live on campus, it is worth a mention to the insurance agent to see if you qualify.

Defensive driving is a course you can take – and it’s only about 5 hours. Plus, it could reduce your premium by 10% or more.

Finally, you may be able to save simply by being a safe driver.

At The Insurance Shop USA, we can help you find a premium that makes sense, whether you’re a college student or not. Contact us today and we will get quotes from top insurance companies in Idaho so you can be sure you’re getting the best policy in Sandypoint.

 

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