Keep Your Roof in Tip-Top Shape

Wind and hailstorms are some of the most frequent and severe causes of property damage to American homes, with several billion dollars of losses each year. These perils can not only damage roofs but also result in water losses to the attic, ceilings, and walls. A strong and healthy roof can mitigate the chances of these types of losses. So here are some tips to pass on to your clients to keep their roofs in first-rate condition.

• You should check the condition of your roof twice a year. Spring and fall are often good times.

• Start the inspection in the interior of the home. Look for staining on the ceiling or walls, which might indicate leaks from the attic.  

• Go into your attic, if you are physically able, with a powerful flashlight and check for signs of water damage or wet insulation. This assessment will let you know if water has been entering your attic. 

• Use a set of binoculars to inspect the exterior of the roof. Look for signs of warped shingles or flashing.

• Hire a roofing specialist to go directly onto your roof and inspect it at least once per year or after a major hailstorm. Ask the specialist to take pictures of any problem areas. Make repairs as soon as possible.  

• If your roof needs to be replaced, consider installing impact-resistant roofing to reduce the chances of future hail damage. Clarify with your roofer that the shingles are "tested and rated impact resistant for hail" and that your insurer will provide you a premium credit for them on your homeowners insurance. 

8 Tips for Valentine’s Day Jewelry Protection

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, especially on Valentine’s Day. Jewelry is one of the top gifts of all time, and heart-shaped gems are the most popular of the jewelry items gifted, as a sign of love and devotion.

But that shiny, new diamond heart needs to be protected.

What a shame it would be to have your heart stolen when it’s not by the one you love! Yet theft is the number one cause of loss for jewelry.

The majority of jewelry thefts occur when personal jewelry is visible or accessible to be stolen by thieves, coworkers, or even friends.

Sparkly new engagement rings are another top Valentine’s Day gift. With the U.S. jewelry market being upwards of $71 billion, $7 billion is spent on diamond engagement rings, making them an extremely valuable investment that warrants proper insurance.

Although insuring that diamond ring may not be the first thought when thinking about a romantic proposal, but it should be a top priority. According to crime statistics, diamond engagement rings and wedding rings are most likely to be stolen.

Jewelry is a reflection of who you are and connects you to special events and people in your life. The most important way to protect your jewelry is to create a pre-disaster plan that includes inventory, theft prevention and damage from water or fire.  It only takes a matter of seconds for a thief to swipe valuable jewelry, but that beautiful ring or bracelet can also lose stones, or be subject to dents and scrapes.

Prevention is key, and in taking the proper security measures, that beautiful Valentine’s Day gift can be protected. Protect your jewelry from damage and theft with these 8 tips:

1. Don’t place your jewelry in jewelry boxes or dresser drawers. These places are common to store jewelry, but their commonality makes them the first place that a thief will look. Keep your jewelry in a safe that is fire resistant, UL rated, torch and tool resistant, bolted to the structure and keep it in an area of the home that is not easily accessible. The best place for jewelry storage is an off-site bank safe deposit box. This is a great option for your most valuable jewelry.
2. Have your jewelry appraised by a qualified jewelry appraiser for insurance replacement purposes.
3. Know who has access to your jewelry. There have been several cases of domestic employees stealing jewelry from their employers in the news lately. Being aware of who has access to your jewelry collection, and having background screenings on domestic employees will help prevent any mishaps.
4. Take precautions when you’re wearing gloves. Prongs from rings may catch on the fabric, which could result in loss.
5. Don’t place jewelry in your pockets. If your pockets open, or you run your clothes through the wash, you’re at risk of losing jewelry.
6. Keep jewelry away from sinks, counters and public areas. Setting the jewelry beside the sink when washing your hands or doing the dishes could result in loss, or it could be forgotten or stolen.
7. Prevent damage by removing your jewelry. When performing outdoor activities, including playing sports or doing lawn work, remove your jewelry to avoid damage and place it in a safe location.
8. Have your jewelry regularly inspected. Bringing your jewelry to your jeweler for regular inspections will help you to prevent any damage. Making sure the mountings and prongs are checked once a year can help avoid any loose stones, and prevent  accidental loss.

Work Comp Wednesday - Electrical Hazards - Loss Prevention

Electricity has long been recognized as a serious workplace hazard, exposing employees to electric shock, electrocution, burns, fires and explosions. Every 30 minutes, a worker is severely hurt from electricity requiring off the job recovery. Recovery from electrical shocks and burns is slow and painful. Electrical hazards cause more than 300 deaths in the workplace annually. Electrical accidents rank sixth among all causes of work-related deaths in the United States averaging 13 days away from work and nearly one fatality every day. What makes these statistics more tragic is that most of the fatalities could have been easily avoided with safety awareness.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards cover many electrical hazards in many different industries. OSHA’s general industry electrical safety standards are published in Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 1910.302 through 308 – Design Safety Standards for Electrical Systems, and 1910.331 through 335 – Safety-Related Work Practices. OSHA has developed electrical safety standards for the construction industry, in 29 CFR 1926, Subpart K - Electrical. OSHA’s electrical standards are based on the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards NFPA 70, National Electric Code, and NFPA 70E, Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces. NFPA 70 has been adopted in all 50 states and is the benchmark for safe electrical design, installation, and inspection to protect people and property from electrical hazards. In states with OSHA-approved programs the standards and other procedures governing electrical safety may not be identical to the federal requirements; however they must be at least as effective as the federal standards. Violations such as lockout/tagout and electrical wiring methods consistently appear in OSHA’s top 10 list of violations.

Causes of Electrical Hazards: Most electrical hazard accidents result from one of the following three factors:
• Unsafe equipment or installation
• Unsafe environment
• Unsafe work practices
  
Prevention of Electrical Hazards: Ways to prevent electrical hazard accidents are through the use of:
• Insulation - using glass, mica, rubber or plastic insulators.
• Guarding - locating or enclosing electrical equipment.
• Grounding - creating a low-resistance path that connects to the earth.
• Electrical protective devices - fuses, circuit breakers and ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCI).
• Safe work practices that include:
Job planning - Safety on the job is not something that just happens. Complete a detailed job plan and communicate it to all co-workers. Planning prevents mistakes and injuries from occurring. Identification - Identify all possible energy sources that could pose on-the-job hazards.
Deenergizing - The number one way to prevent electrical injuries and fatalities is to deenergize the equipment being worked on. It may take a little more time and planning, but your life and health are worth it.
Lockout/tagout - These procedures safeguard workers from the unexpected energization, or startup of machinery and equipment. They can also prevent the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities.
Equipment maintenance - Always keep electrical tools properly maintained.
Exercise caution - When working near energized lines.
Use personal protective equipment (PPE) - As a last line of defense. PPE includes: hard hats, gloves, goggles, safety shoes, flame-resistant shirts and pants, safety glasses, face shields, fall protection equipment, etc.

TEST BEFORE YOU TOUCH - Every year workers are injured or killed by circuits they thought were safely turned off. Simply shut-ting off the power is not enough. Hazardous conditions can still exist.

Most electrically-related fatalities and injuries could have easily been avoided. Responsibility for your safety begins with you. Take steps to protect yourself every day and make safety an integral part of how you do business.

                              Contact us for all your Insurance needs! (321)725-1620

Bob Lancaster Insurance

Serving Florida since 1964

Bob's Business Tip: Improve Your Verbal Business Card

What do YOU do?

Your best opportunities for making connections with a new contact lie in letting the other person do more of the talking.

Your Verbal Business Card: Do you have one prepared for?

1. The Elevator Speech
2. The 30-Second Commercial
3. “What do you do?”
4. The 3 or 5 Minute Presentation

The Elevator Speech

“What Do You Do?”
Introduce your business without coming on too strong.
Introduce yourself in a way that people will want to ask you for more information.
Keep it short!!!

Use POWER VERBS

• Think of verbs like teach, create, design, reorganize, manage, develop, establish, boost, generate. Use one of these verbs to describe what you do. It makes you more of an innovator and an expert in your profession.

NUMBERS HOOK
Numbers hook attention.
• People love numbers…numbers sound like statistics, and statistics are real.
• Numbers carry remarkable credibility that descriptive words don’t.
• Numbers can generate a little anxiety.
• We judge ourselves by numbers all our lives. Age, weight, income — we’re all either on the right or the wrong side of 30.
• Numbers create urgency, and urgency prompts action.

Write your NUMBERS HOOK

• What kind of results do you produce.
• How many? In how much time? How often?
• These percentages are extremely useful to drop into the conversation.
• They make your results that much more believable.
For example, “I’ve developed five ways  to _____  within ___ months.”

SOLVE A DEEP NEED

• This is the most important part of the 30-second message.
• This is where you speak of the value you offer your clients.
• Tie that value to the deepest needs people have — more money, better relationships, or better health.
• Tell me your greatest success stories!

What is unique about YOU?

• What is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)?
• Things you do well… better than anyone else.
When And How To Use A Memory Hook
The best memory hook is one that you can use in many contexts.
• It should work in a pure word-of-mouth setting, as when you are attending a meeting of a networking group.
• It should work on your business card, on your letterhead, your calendars, your giveaway pens (another reason to keep it short), even your print ads.
• Of course, networking opportunities are one of the most cost-effective forms of advertising.
• The problem is, that most people don’t know how to stand out in the crowd at these of events.
• memory hooks have a distinct edge over their competition..

Example: For a Pest Control Business
• Bugs…They can run but they ONLY Die Tired

Prepare, Practice, & Master

• It is critical to prepare PRACTICE and master a ‘verbal business card’ to create interest with your response.
• Remember, you have only 10-30 seconds to grab their attention
The 30-Second Commercial
Once someone has indicated some interest, give them a brief description of what you do and peak interest even more.

Anatomy of a 30 second presentation

Give examples of ways you have helped others- how and why it was valuable to them. Be as specific as possible
Answer the following:

• Who are you looking for?
• What kinds of referrals?- Be specific
• What can you do for them?
• …can do it in time or cost?
• When do you do what you do?
• Any Free services? consult?
• Why should they come to you? Any outside credibility
• How many years? of experience –
• Where do you do what you do?
• USE a “Did you know?” (gets attention)

People like to learn new things

Practice it, Practice it, Practice it.

Anatomy of a 30 second presentation
1.    Intro My name _______ and I’m with ______
2.    Memory Hook
Good hooks are memorable, descriptive and short.
Be creative.
Use words that paint pictures.
Help people to visualize what a good referral is for you
A good memory hook does not have to be funny but it helps
_______________________________________________
3.    The Body
Ideally, you should deliver a different from time to time.
Focus on one service, discuss the benefits rather than the service
Itself.  Also what is a   good referral for you.
___________________________________________________
4.    The summation.  In one or two short sentences, reiterate what you have just said, stating the reasons to act now!
5.    The Closing.  State one more time your name and the name of your company

                                    Contact us for all your Insurance needs! (321)725-1620

Bob Lancaster Insurance

Serving Florida since 1964

10 States with the WORST DRIVERS (Florida is #6)

Road rage, careless driving, swerving cars: these may all be things you encounter during your normal commute. And the thought “This state has got to have the worst drivers!” may cross your mind from time to time.

It’s time to update our findings with the latest driving statistics and ask once again, “Which state has the worst drivers?“. Keep in mind that not only are bad drivers aggravating and dangerous, but they contribute to increased auto insurance premiums in your State!

Methodology

The rankings are based on statistics pulled from several sources, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Motorists Association, and Mothers Against Drink Driving.
There are five categories for each score, including:

• Fatalities Rate per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled
• Failure to Obey (Traffic Signals + Seat Belts)
• Drunk Driving
• Tickets
• Careless Driving

We translated all of this information into one Total Score: the higher the score, the worse off the states were.

For example, the state with the most Careless Driving, Florida, got a 51 on the scale (District of Columbia is included in the rankings). The higher the score in each category, the worse the drivers, and the higher your state’s car insurance rates could be.


Here are the Top 10, in descending order:

Ten States with the Worst Drivers:

#10) North Dakota

Best Ranking Factor: Tickets: 6th
Worst Ranking Factor: Drunk Driving: 50th

Source: commons.wikimedia.org

North Dakota was not in the “Top 10″ in our previous edition, but they’ve dropped three places with the latest statistical updates. They kept their Ticketing Rate low, but increases in the Drunk Driving and Fatality Rate categories leaving them with a lot of room for improvement.

#9) Montana

Best Ranking Factor: Tickets: 2nd
Worst Ranking Factor: Fatalities Rate & Drunk Driving: 51st (the worst possible rank)

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Montana maintained the worst fatality rate per 100 million miles traveled (this year ranked 51 because we included the District of Columbia), and received a worse Drunk Driving score than last time. What saved them from a lower overall score? Their rating of second best when it comes to likelihood of getting a ticket.

#7 ) North Carolina (tie)

Best Ranking Factor: Drunk Driving: 31st
Worst Ranking Factor: Careless Driving: 44th

Source: www.worldpropertychannel.com

North Carolina’s rankings start out just above the average, but receiving Top 10 finishes in both Ticketing Rate and Careless Driving mean they’re five spots higher than their previous position. The biggest jump in their ratings came from the Careless Driving category – 13 spots worse than our last measurement.

#7) Missouri (tie)

Best Ranking Factor: Careless Driving: 25th
Worst Ranking Factor: Failure to Obey: 48th

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Missouri has done well to improve from it’s previous #2 finish, relatively speaking. They have the same total score, but other states have gotten relatively worse. Missouri showed significant improvement in the Careless Driving category, but finished too near the bottom for Failure to Obey.

#6) Florida

Best Ranking Factor: Drunk Driving: 18th
Worst Ranking Factor: Careless Driving: 51st

Source: www.timeanddate.com

Florida has struggled in both the Careless Driving and Ticket Rate, but slight improvements in the Fatality Rate and Failure to Obey categories help improve their overall rank. It’s worth noting that their Drunk Driving rating dropped from 7th to 18th. Remember – lower ratings are better.

#5) Alabama

Best Ranking Factor: Drunk Driving: 26th
Worst Ranking Factor: Tickets: 49th

Source: www.stateintegrity.org

Alabama just managed to stay out of the Top 5 last year, but a change in Careless Driving ranking from 7th to 36th in the nation really hurt them. They have improved or stayed the same in every other category, except for Ticketing Rate.

#4) Texas

Best Ranking Factor: Failure to Obey: 33rd
Worst Ranking Factor: Drunk Driving: 47th

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Texas has improved it’s overall ranking after coming in 3rd last year, but once again, it’s mostly a matter of the other states getting worse. Their Drunk Driving ranking dropped 16 places to 47th overall. Improvements (however slight) were made in the Fatalities Rate, Failure to Obey, and Ticketing Rate categories.

#3) Mississippi

Best Ranking Factor: Drunk Driving: 30th
Worst Ranking Factor: Fatalities Rate: 47th

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Mississippi is the biggest surprise in the Top 10, having come in 23rd in our previous edition of this study. Major increases in Failure to Obey (3rd to 44th) and Drunk Driving (10th to 30th) make up the bulk of the difference.

#2) South Carolina

Best Ranking Factor: Failure to Obey: 29th
Worst Ranking Factor: Careless Driving: 50th

Source: Wikimedia

The change in South Carolina’s Careless Driving rating from 3rd best to 50th was enough to bump them from 11th overall to the number 2 spot. Their Drunk Driving rating also was a cause for concern, increasing from 30th to 49th in the US. South Carolina can take some consolation in their improvement in the Failure to Obey category.

#1) Louisiana

Best Ranking Factor: Drunk Driving: 38th
Worst Ranking Factor: Careless Driving: 48th

Source: wikipedia.org

Louisiana drivers once again have the dubious honor of “Worst in the United States”. Finishing in the Top 5 for three different categories (Failure to Obey, Ticketing Rate, and Careless Driving) means they’ve finished #1 for the second time in a row, 5 points higher than South Carolina overall.

A Lower Ticketing Rate Can Mean More Drunk Driving

North Dakota wouldn’t have made the Top 10 without ranking as the second-highest in Drunk Driving.  In fact, 10 of the 15 states LEAST likely to give you a ticket ranked in the top half of offenders for Drunk Driving! You might not want to hear it , but perhaps knowing that they’re more likely to get a ticket helps deter drunk drivers.
Be responsible – don’t drink and drive. It only takes a split second to ruin someone’s life, including your own.

Careless Driving & Fatality Rate are Good Indicators of the Worst Drivers

The best that any of our Top 10 states finished in either of these categories was 25th, with all but Missouri being in the bottom 20 in both categories.
This connection between Careless Driving & Fatality Rate should be even more reason for drivers to put down their cell phones, and keep their eyes on the road.

What do the best drivers have in common? Paying Attention to the Road

Of the 15 states with the best drivers, only 4 ranked in the bottom half for Careless Driving, meaning they were keeping an eye on the road ahead and their surroundings – NOT on their cell phones.
The bottom line: Paying attention makes a big difference, and saves lives. If you want to be a responsible driver, get rid of the distractions and focus on your driving.

Complete Rankings: Worst Drivers

State	Fatalities Rate per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled	Failure to Obey (Traffic Signals + Seat Belts)	Drunk Driving	Tickets	Careless Driving	Total Score	Rank
Louisiana	41	47	38	46	48	220	1
South Carolina	49	29	49	38	50	215	2
Mississippi	47	44	30	39	40	200	3
Texas	34	33	47	45	39	198	4
Alabama	40	41	26	49	36	192	5
Florida	33	38	18	48	51	188	6
Missouri	29	48	41	41	25	184	7
North Carolina	31	36	31	42	44	184	8
Montana	51	37	51	2	33	174	9
North Dakota	46	31	50	6	30	163	10
Oklahoma	43	50	20	31	18	162	11
Nevada	24	9	34	51	43	161	12
Tennessee	37	40	21	35	26	159	13
Georgia	28	46	5	50	29	158	14
Pennsylvania	36	49	32	18	22	157	15
Arizona	39	21	12	33	49	154	16
Arkansas	48	42	8	15	34	147	17
Maryland	10	14	33	47	42	146	18
California	11	25	16	43	45	140	19
Ohio	13	43	42	28	14	140	20
Illinois	12	30	39	34	24	139	21
New York	15	23	24	40	37	139	22
Wisconsin	26	35	35	23	20	139	23
Kentucky	44	51	2	17	19	133	24
Hawaii	23	2	48	13	41	127	25
Colorado	20	45	17	25	13	120	26
Wyoming	42	20	36	1	21	120	27
Delaware	27	7	27	12	46	119	28
Indiana	21	22	22	37	17	119	29
New Mexico	38	10	9	14	47	118	30
South Dakota	32	28	40	5	10	115	31
New Jersey	9	19	14	29	38	109	32
Nebraska	18	24	43	19	2	106	33
West Virginia	50	16	15	7	15	103	34
Michigan	17	15	13	22	35	102	35
Virginia	16	34	11	30	11	102	36
Idaho	25	39	23	9	4	100	37
Kansas	35	32	3	27	3	100	38
Washington	7	4	37	36	16	100	39
Rhode Island	8	8	46	10	27	99	40
Alaska	45	11	6	3	31	96	41
Massachusetts	1	18	44	21	9	93	42
Iowa	30	13	4	32	12	91	43
District of Columbia	5	1	10	44	28	88	44
Connecticut	4	6	45	24	8	87	45
Maine	19	26	29	4	6	84	46
Oregon	22	3	7	16	32	80	47
Minnesota	2	17	19	26	7	71	48
New Hampshire	3	27	25	11	5	71	49
Utah	14	12	1	20	23	70	50
Vermont	6	5	28	8	1	48	51