Category: Safety Tips

When to Repair or Replace a Damaged Windshield

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A cracked windshield is never any fun, but when are you supposed to repair or replace it?

No matter where you live, your windshield is likely to be on the receiving end of some unwanted wear and tear. There could be a tiny pebble that was knocked out of a construction truck, hail from the turbulent sky above, or a tree branch that is destined to fall right when your car passes by. Whatever the damage, these all have been caused by non-collision related incidents. But are you supposed to repair or replace your windshield?

Large and Small Repairs

The good news is that smaller chips and cracks can be easily repaired for under $100 (on average). A good way of knowing if your chip or crack can be repaired is by using the dollar bill method. This involves taking a dollar bill and covering the chip, if the dollar bill can cover the area of the crack, then a repair is the likeliest next step. The repair process works by injecting a special resin in the cracked area.

If the chip, however, is directly in the line of sight of the driver, or the windshield has any cracks near its edges, a repair should be considered.

If your windshield can be repaired, it’s best to do it as soon as possible. If you’ve ever chipped your phone’s screen, you know that a chip will continue to grow until it runs out of glass. Your windshield is no different, only if it grows out of the dollar bill’s range, it could cost you more money to fix.

An auto insurance policy with comprehensive coverage will cover damages caused by non-collision related accidents. For all of your auto insurance needs in California, be sure to contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency. We are more than happy to help you get the coverage you deserve!

How You Can Prevent House Fires

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Do you know about preventing fires in your home? Check out these fire prevention and safety tips for you and your family.

While you may have heard of “Stop, drop, and roll,” you likely haven’t used it as often as your 8-year-old self would have imagined. If you’ve never experienced a house fire, consider yourself lucky; house fires are the most common disaster in the country, resulting in more than 2,500 deaths and 12,600 injuries each year. The good news is that most house fires are easily preventable! Here are some painlessly simple fixes you can do to significantly reduce your risk of having a house fire.

The Obvious Fire Hazards

  • Smoking is the leading cause of home fire deaths, so it’s a good idea to avoid smoking indoors and always use an ashtray.
  • If you have a fireplace, always leave the glass doors open and always use a metal mesh to keep the embers from leaving the fireplace.

Kitchen Hazards

  • Over 60 percent of all fires begin in the stove, so never leave it unattended and always pay attention to what you’re cooking.
  • Clean all kitchen surfaces regularly to avoid dangerous grease buildup.
  • Always keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and be sure to read the instructions on how to use it.

Electrical Hazards

  • Avoid placing wires under rugs or over nails–anywhere where someone could trip.
  • If an electrical device is releasing a strange or foul odor, unplug it and throw it out immediately or have it repaired by a professional.
  • Give your space heater . . . space! Make sure that it can’t tip over and place all flammable objects away from the heater.

For all of your home insurance coverage needs to keep your home safe from fires and other dangers, contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency. We will work with you to ensure you have the coverage that you deserve, all at the right price to fit your budget.

Maintenance Tips in California for Your Summer “Toys”

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Your summer toys need to be maintained for them to function properly during the summer.

Summer is in full swing, and if you haven’t already taken out your summer toys for a stroll, you’re likely going to do it soon. RVs, motorcycles, and boats all need routine maintenance before you take them out. Vehicles’ condition in storage changes over time—despite its non-use. Here are some maintenance tips you can use to make sure that your summer toys stay in good shape and stay operational.

Maintenance Tips

RVs

  • If your RV wasn’t maintained indoors, away from the elements, it’s important to do a walk-around and inspect any damage that was done while in storage.
  • Be aware of any air, fuel, coolant, filters, or hydraulics that need to be replaced.
  • Clean your RV from the inside to make sure there was no perishables or mold growing in your RV.

Motorcycles

  • Even though the weather may be warm, it’s important that you always wear the appropriate gear to keep you as safe as possible.
  • Before refilling your gas tank, make sure to look for any rust or condensation that may have built up over the winter months. The sooner you catch these issues, the easier you can get them fixed.
  • Make sure that all your lights (tail, blinkers, instrument panel, and headlights) are functioning properly. Your visibility decreases—, especially at night.

Boats

  • Wipe down the hull, deck, topsides, and windows.
  • De-winterize your engine and check the oil and filters to see if they need to be replaced.
  • Test all onboard electronics like your radio, compass, GPS, and depth finder to ensure they work properly.

You need to make sure that your summer toys function properly to avoid any disasters that could be quite costly. For all of your motor vehicle insurance needs in California, be sure to contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency. We are more than happy to help you get the coverage you deserve!

May: National Stroke Awareness Month

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Strokes can affect people of all ages, classes, and backgrounds. Learn how to best safeguard yourself against stroke.

Every forty seconds, someone in the US suffers from a stroke. In 2008, more than 133,000 Americans died from a stroke—that’s one person every four minutes—making it the fourth leading cause of death in the US.

Strokes usually occur when the flow of blood to the brain is blocked, or a blood vessel in or around the brain bursts. And many people believe that those at risk from getting a stroke are older folks, but this simply is not true. Strokes can occur to people of all ages. In fact, nearly one-quarter of strokes occur in people aged sixty-five or younger.

Each year, nearly 800,000 strokes occur and often lead to serious, life-changing complications that include things like:

  • Depression.
  • Problems understanding or forming speech.
  • Difficulty controlling or expressing emotions.
  • Paralysis or weakness on one side of the body.
  • Numbness or strange sensations.
  • Pain in the hands and feet.
  • Problems with thinking, awareness, attention, learning, judgment, and memory.

Know how to protect yourself and others by acting FAST. By calling 911 as soon as possible, you can make the difference between life and death, or between full recovery or permanent disability.

  • F – Face drooping
  • A – Arm weakness
  • S – Speech difficulty, confusion
  • T – Time to call 911

Raising awareness for strokes is important so further research can be conducted and figure out a way to end strokes. Do you have the correct health insurance plan for your needs? Contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency for a tailored policy to suit you in California.

Sharing the Road: How to Best Avoid Hitting Animals

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Sharing the road with our furry friends is something that we have to get used to.

Some roads are built right by forests where many deer, elk, and moose have roamed for millions of years. There was an estimated 1.25 million claims reported last year from such collisions, which shows no indication of a decrease—so we’re going to have to learn how to drive with them on the road. Here are some tips on how you can avoid hitting our mammalian friends and keeping your car deer-free.

  • Brighten the road. Using your high-beams could end up saving your car’s life, along with an elk or deer’s. Flicker the lights to spook the deer as they tend to stay fixated on your headlights.
  • Brake if possible. If you see the deer with plenty of time to brake, lightly tap on the brakes and honk your horn to alert drivers behind you and to possibly startle the deer. If there are no cars behind you, and you’re approaching quickly, slam the brakes.
  • Stay alert. Pay attention to “deer crossing” signs. If you see one deer, there are probably more around that area. And be vigilant during mating and hunting seasons. These seasons force animals to wander into the roads more frequently.
  • Avoid swerving. If a collision seems inevitable, it’s important to remember not to swerve. You could swerve onto oncoming traffic, or end up in a ditch.

If you have questions about the California car insurance or your growing number of drivers requires, don’t wait to contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency. We know that you already have enough to worry about with your new teen driver, and are here to making getting him or her covered easy! Protect your family, your vehicles, and your liability by calling us today.

How To: Teach Your Teen to Drive

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If you’ve got a teen driver on your hands, here’s what you need to know.

Like all children, teens desire independence. The thought of being able to drive themselves is an exciting thing that all teens want. But in reality, car accidents are the leading cause of death for this age group and safety must be a huge part of what they learn before getting behind the wheel.

As a parent, you have the power to get through to them. They may have daydreams of cruising to the beach with their friend without a care in the world, but you must bring them back to earth about what the realities of driving.

Here are some little things you can do to improve the chance that they stay safe and learn how to be responsible drivers:

  • “Passenger seat” supervision is a great way to give your teen support and also guide them while they are actually driving.
  • Build confidence with small trips of 5-10 miles in areas that are familiar.
  • Make sure they are driving a safe car with good brakes, good steering, and airbags.
  • Check that your criticism is gentle and constructive. Creating a stressful environment for your teen to learn driving can be just as damaging as no help at all since it teaches your teen to associate driving with being on edge.
  • Make sure your teen knows what to do if there is an accident.
  • The average teen has 3 accidents between the ages of 16-20. Make a contract with them to lessen these odds. Your contract should include:
    • A stipulation that good grades earn driving privileges.
    • No texting or phone while driving
    • Zero tolerance regarding alcohol/drugs and driving
    • Observing curfew
    • Observing rules about passengers
    • Obeying the traffic laws. Traffic tickets should have major consequences like suspension of privileges.

Your teen’s safety is in your hands. If you take the time to show them how important their well being is to you, they will eventually listen.

Is your teen covered out on the road? For all of your auto insurance needs in California, including coverage for your teen driver, contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency.

How To: Create the Right Safety Management Plan

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A safety management plans is an essential tool for all businesses.

One of the most important parts of owning a business is making sure that your employees are safe at work every day. Creating a safety management plan is the best way to reach this goal. Use these tips to help you create a safety management plan that will work best for your company.

  • Show management involvement – your management has to lead by example. Visibly demonstrating that you care about the safety of your company’s employees can go a long way in creating a safe culture.
  • Communicate clearly – if your employees don’t know what your safety management plan is, they won’t be able to follow it. Regularly give employees updates of your plan and keep them informed on any changes that have been made.
  • Create involvement – when employees are actively involved, your safety program can be much more successful.
  • Provide proper training – all employees should know exactly what they can do to stay safe at work each day. Provide all essential safety equipment to employees as needed.
  • Make improvements – your first safety plan is bound to have flaws. Taking the time to review and revise your plan will help to ensure that everything is being done to help your employees stay safe.
  • Thoroughly investigate all incidents – accidents happen, even with the most comprehensive safety plan. All injuries need to be investigated and documented to help you find ways to improve your safety plan so the same accidents don’t happen twice.

Not only will having a strong safety management plan in place work to keep your employees safe, it can also help you save on your workers’ compensation coverage. For all of your business insurance needs to give you the peace of mind that you deserve as a California business owner, contact the independent insurance experts at Stromsoe Insurance Agency.

Your Guide to Staying Safe During a Flash Flood

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Flash floods can happen very quickly and with little or no warning. Know how to stay safe!

There is no way to deny that El Nino is here. With the recent storms that drenched Southern California, there has never been a better time to ensure you are ready for whatever Mother Nature has in store for the rest of the storm system. One of the most important steps you can take is to create a plan of how to handle a flash flood. This guide to floods and your insurance coverage can help to keep you safe when the water starts rising.

If a flash flood watch is issued, it does not mean that a flood is currently happening. It simply means that the conditions are right for a flash flood to occur. During a flash flood watch, listen for any weather updates and emergency instructions. You should also have a plan of where to go if a flash flood does occur.

A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or is currently happening. During a flood warning, you should get to higher ground and listen to your TV or radio to find out if you need to evacuate. If you are at home, unplug all electrical appliances and turn off gas and electricity at the main source. If you are driving, avoid driving through flood waters, even if they look shallow. Water that is deeper than 2 feet can easily sweep your car away.

Keep in mind that your home insurance policy will not provide any coverage for damage that is done during a flood; only a flood insurance policy will. For all of your insurance coverage needs to keep you safe and dry this El Nino, contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency. We will work with you to ensure you have the coverage that you deserve, all at the right price to fit your budget.

How To: Avoid Holiday Hazards at Home

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Keep your holiday merry by avoiding these home holiday hazards.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! We don’t want to dampen your holiday season in any way, but we do want to remind you that this time of year is also filled with hazards. The good news is that if you take steps to avoid holiday hazards at home, you can keep this time of year merry, bright, and safe! Here are a few tips to help you get started.

  • Theft claims increase by 7 percent during the holiday season. Make sure you’re home isn’t targeted by keeping valuables out of the way of windows and having your mail collected if you’ll be heading out of town.
  • Home fire claims also heat in the coming weeks, and by a shocking 15 percent! Choose flame-resistant decorations, avoid stringing more than the manufacturer-recommended number of light strands together and overloading outlets, and make sure all candles are blown out and lights are turned off when you go to bed. Your décor might not be the spark, though. When you’re in the kitchen, keep a close eye on all your items. If you know you’re cooking on a hectic day, set timers for yourself so you don’t forget!
  • Sewer back-up claims climb up by 19 percent during the holidays. Be careful about how you dispose of your kitchen waste. If you’re completely confident your garbage disposal can handle the job, dispose of it in the garbage. Also, keep plungers where guests can easily find them. Better a slight eyesore than a major cleanup!

We hope this guide helps you stay safe, but it’s not the only protection we want to offer.  Contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency in California to put a homeowners insurance policy to protect your home for the holidays and throughout the rest of the year.

What To Do After A Traffic Ticket

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Got a traffic ticket? Here’s what you can do to minimize the damage.

A car accident causes physical damage. It might seem like a traffic ticket would be preferable, then, but the financial damage a ticket can do might leave you wishing you’d been in a fender-bender instead!

The good news is there are some things you can do. If you find yourself up against a traffic ticket, here are your options moving forward.

Option 1: Go to School If you hit traffic school, you might find yourself watching the hours tick by but you’ll also find yourself removing points from your license and your ticket from your record. In short, it’s worth the hassle (especially considering you can usually do it online) to remove the long-term repercussions of your infraction behind the wheel.

Option 2: Go to Court If you believe you have solid evidence that you didn’t do anything wrong, you can go to court and contest your ticket. If you win your case, you’ll be able to remove the ticket from your record, points from your license, and all other penalties you’d otherwise face. Just be prepared to spend a day in the courtroom fighting for your case.

Option 3: Get out your Wallet While not ideal, paying for your ticket is a whole lot better than facing further legal ramifications! Even if it’s a fairly sizable fine, paying out for your mistake can save you a serious headache—and even jail time—down the road. It’s worth the cost to put your ticket behind you.

A ticket could result in significantly higher premiums – unless you have an auto insurance provider who’s committed to working with you to keep your coverage affordable. For that kind of service throughout California, contact Stromsoe Insurance Agency.