Schaefer Insurance Services, L.L.C.

Here at Schaefer Insurance Services, we believe that all of our policyholders are outstanding, and when one of them is recognized, we like to brag a little. 

Take Zeke Zinchiak, for instance.  Zeke is a concrete contractor, owner of Z Con, Inc. in Woodbine, MD.  He is a visionary.  When he comes across something he believes in, he pursues it.  We like to think that is why Zeke chose Schaefer Insurance Services as his insurance agency. 

It is certainly why Z Con, Inc. is being recognized this week at the World of Concrete Trade Show in Las Vegas and why Zeke and his company are being featured in this month’s Concrete Contractor magazine. Yes, that's Zeke on the cover!

No matter what business you are in, if you’d like to be inspired then read about Zeke and Z Con, Inc. We recommend it.

And if you’re sufficiently inspired to follow your own business dreams, then why not sit down with us here at Schaefer Insurance Services to talk about business insurance options to help you move forward or check out our website to learn more about what is available. 

 

It's that time of year once again to “fall back” to Eastern Standard Time -- leaving Daylight Savings Time behind untill next spring. It is also the perfect time of year to remember to change your smoke alarm batteries.  Here at Schaefer Insurance Services, we're all about your safety.  So we encourage you to get intothe habit of changing your smoke alarm batteries either at the end or the beginning of Daylight Savings Time will keep your family safe, protect your home from fire and smoke damage and therefore help you to avoid homeowners insurance claims.

Everyone knows the value of a reliable smoke alarm. However, having smoke alarms in your home isn't enough. If you are to have effective fire protection, the smoke alarms must actually work.  Adopting the habit of quickly checking your smoke alarm each month will ensure that they are working properly, and changing the batteries in each smoke detector at least once a year will ensure that the batteries remain fresh and strong. 

Why Would a Smoke Alarm Stop Working?

Smoke alarms might stop working for one or more of several reasons. It is very possible that they might outlive their usefulness if they have not been replaced in some time, especially if they are more than 10 years old. However, more commonly, these alarms fail to detect smoke and fire because their battery is dead or because the smoke alarm has been disconnected or is missing its batteries.  In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) warns that about two-thirds of home fire deaths in 2005-2009 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Won't My Smoke Alarm Remind Me?

You might wonder why you should not just wait until the smoke alarm's beeping alerts you that the batteries need to be replaced.  That's a bad idea for many reasons such as…

• If you are not at home during time from when the beeping alert begins until your smoke alarm batteries go totally dead, you would likely not even know that your alarms are not working. This leaves your family and your home unprotected against fire.
• You might be tempted to just stop the beeping by removing the batteries or disconnecting your smoke alarm, if you don't have replacement smoke alarm batteries ready when the beeping alert occurs. Of course, this dangerously diminishes your protection from a fire until you remember to reconnect the alarm, replace the batteries and get your smoke alarm working again.

Tips About Smoke Alarm Batteries

• Install the correct type of replacement battery as recommended in the manual or label on your smoke alarm, and follow all directions. Avoid using rechargeable batteries in your smoke alarm because manufacturers of smoke alarms advise against them.
• If your smoke alarm is giving you frequent nuisance alarms, then it’s time to replace the entire smoke alarm unit. Don’t be tempted to just disconnect the battery to stop the nuisance alarms
• Almost all smoke alarms batteries should be replaced each year, including those in hard-wired smoke alarms with battery backup. The only exceptions are hard-wired smoke alarms without a battery backup and smoke alarms that have a 10-year battery that cannot be replaced. In the latter case, you would replace the complete smoke alarm every 10 years.
• Remember to change the batteries in your carbon monoxide alarm at the same time that you change your smoke alarm batteries.
• Take the opportunity to clean your smoke alarm at the time that you change the batteries each year.
   
• More About Home Smoke Alarms from the NFPA (Video) 
• Smoke Alarms: Installation and Maintenance Tips
• Smoke Alarm Types: Ionization vs. Photoelectric

Will you be hosting a Halloween party or welcoming trick-or-treaters to your door? Either way, opening your property to the public can leave you vulnerable to insurance claims and lawsuits.

Halloween can be a holiday full of festivities, fun and costumes or it can be the cause of accidents or worse. If you follow a few tips to ensure safety and protect your home from liability, you can prevent the risk of a homeowners insurance claim spoiling the fun. 

The following 10 Tips will keep your home safe this Halloween...

• Create a Clear Path –Prevent visitors after dark don’t stumble and injure themselves by keeping the area around your home unobstructed.  Especially at Halloween, clear your lawn and walkways of toys, lawn ornaments, gardening equipment, etc. to help avoid a liability.
• Keep the Lights On – Be sure that trick-or-treaters and other visitors are able to see clearly after dark to a fall on your property.  You will not only help avoid a liability claim, but you’ll deter burglars who are always less inclined to approach a well-lit home.
• Assure Home Security – Will you be away from home during Halloween? Remember to set your security alarm system before you depart. Typically, Halloween season is a prime time for mischief and burglaries.  Don't forget to also activate motion-sensitive lights, and alert your neighbors if you will not be at home. 
• Be Smart About Pumpkin Carving – Leave the pumpkin-carving to the adults this Halloween and encourage them to use a special pumpkin cutter for extra safety. Allow children to help with the design before carving.
• Jack-o-Lantern Safety – Jack-o-Lanterns left unattended can easily be tipped over by trick-or-treaters or pets. If they are lit by candles, that could have a disastrous consequence.  Avoid fire damage claims by using a battery-powered light in your pumpkin.
• Avoid Open Flames – Just as with Jack-o-Lanterns, setting the spooky Halloween mood with candles and luminaries that can easily be overturned, could result in homeowners insurance claims for fire damage.  Consider light sticks or battery-powered lighting instead.
• Test Your Home Smoke Alarms – While you are testing your home security system, don’t forget to test your smoke alarms well in advance of the Halloween celebrations to minimize the chance of having a claim for fire damage. 
• Think Before You Serve – Remember that you are responsible for the safety of guests who will visit your home this Halloween.  Trick-or-treaters should be given only commercially-packaged treats.  Likewise, be sure to protect those who will be driving later by serving non-alcoholic beverages to your older party guests; and, of course, avoid serving alcohol to anyone who is under-age.  Thinking of the mood at your party by using dry ice in a punchbowl, be sure to keep the chips out since they can cause severe injury if ingested.
• Confine Your Pets for Protection – Dogs and cats could jump on or even bite unfamiliar visitors -- especially those in costume. For the safety of your guests as well as your pets, keep dogs and cats away from the front porch or open areas.  
• Check Your Homeowners Insurance – Take a moment to speak with your insurance agent to be sure you will be fully protected for whatever plans you have for the Halloween Holiday.  The time to find out that your coverage is incomplete is NOT after you have a claim.

When autumn leaves have disappeared, giving way to the winter landscape and temperatures, it’s a good idea to brush up on the common sense rules for winter driving and safety guidelines for dealing with winter road emergencies.

1. Prepare for winter before wet, cold or icy weather strikes by performing a complete vehicle check-up. Your auto tech will tell you that winter conditions present the greatest challenge to your vehicle’s operating efficiency.
2. Move your vehicle into the open to let it warm up so that you avoid exhaust build-up in your garage.
3. Keep a Winter Driving Kit in your vehicle and stock it with: a bag of sand, salt or kitty litter, ice scraper, paper towels, shovel, snow brush, warning flares, window-washing fluid, a flash light, booster cables, a blanket, gloves and a cellular phone. You’ll have the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’re prepared for an emergency.
4. Check your tires frequently for proper inflation. If your vehicle owner’s manual does not specify, then ask your automotive technician about the proper inflation level.
5. Make it a practice to keep your fuel tank at least half-full – both to prevent gas-line freeze and to ensure that you won’t likely run out of fuel in an emergency.
6. If possible, don’t drive in bad weather; and if you must drive, try to be well rested and wait until snow plows and sand trucks have cleared the roads.
7. When driving on wet, snowy or icy roads, avoid using cruise control or overdrive.  Both detract from your full control of the vehicle in possible slippery conditions.
8. Use your seat belt and make sure that your seat and mirrors are properly adjusted for best visibility.  Wear sunglasses to reduce glare.
9. Don’t use your parking brake in cold or inclement weather, if at all possible.
10. If you experience skidding on slippery roads, always take your foot off the gas pedal and steer in the direction you want to go to recover from the skid.

The key to safe winter driving is to plan ahead, know your vehicle and adapt to the weather and road conditions.