10 Tip to Prevent Identity Fraud this Holiday Season

Check out this excellent article from Travelers.com to see how you can protect yourself from identity fraud.

CLICK HERE to READ THE ARTICLE

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ALL OF US AT BROCK INSURANCE!

We wish you health and happiness in 2011

Time to Get Cozy Around the Fireplace...

As I was watching the local news a few days ago a story caught my attention. A local family had suffered a house fire. Thankfully no one was hurt. However, as an insurance agent, I immediately stopped to listen. The incident was due to a chimney fire. Unfortunately, this type of disaster is not uncommon. As the weather gets cooler, people turn to their fireplaces to make their homes warm and cozy. I would like to encourage you to also make your home SAFE when using your fireplace. Whether you have a wood-burning or gas log fireplace there are things you can do to prevent a fire in your home , I have attached a link below for some helpful tips to make sure your chimney and fireplace is safe and being properly used and maintained.

Chimney Safety Tips

If you have any questions, never hesitate to give us a call or send us an email!

As it is Veteran's Day, we would also like to extend our greatest appreciation to our men and women in the Armed services both past and present. It is because of your strength and courage that we are able to live in such a great country. Thank you for all you do!

Facebook Lawsuits!!

Can your insurance PROTECT YOU from Facebook and Social Media lawsuits?

(From AAA.COM and GO Magazine by Jim McCafferty)

Communicating online with popular websites, like Facebook, offers new ways to meet people and stay in touch globally. However, this comes with unique risks. Anyone using websites should be careful what they or their children say.

In the winter of 2009, a teenager from Oceanside, New York sued Facebook, four of her high school classmates and their parents for $3 million. The suit accuses her classmates of bullying and humiliating her in a Facebook forum. They allegedly posted derogatory and false statements intended to hold her up to "public hatred, ridicule and disgrace." Whether or not the allegations prove true, the teenagers and their parents need legal defense and resources to pay possible judgments against them. They may think their homeowner's insurance policies will help.

HOWEVER, a standard policy will probably not cover this! The policy pays amounts for which the policyholder is legally liable, plus the costs of legal defense, for Bodily Injury or Property Damage done to someone else and defines bodily injury as meaning bodily harm, sickness or disease; it defines property damage as injury to, destruction of, or loss of use of physical property.

Neither definition includes saying or publishing something that injures another's reputation. Consequently, the policy is unlikely to cover a Facebook post. The girl from Oceanside did not allege her classmates hurt her body, made her sick or passed her a disease; she accused them of making her life miserable, which is not covered.

Several of our Insurance companies offer special Personal Injury coverage to homeowner's policies and cover the insured for several offenses, including oral or written publication of material violating someone's privacy. If any of the Oceanside classmates' parents have this coverage, their insurance may cover the claim!

Another source of coverage is a personal umbrella policy that provides additional insurance in situations where a loss has used up the amounts of liability insurance under a homeowner's or auto policy. it covers some liability losses those policies do not, such as personal injury. Umbrellas typically carry deductibles of $250 or $500.

Suppose one of the parents in the Oceanside case doesn't have personal injury coverage on his homeowners policy but does have an umbrella. The umbrella would pay for the child's defense and their shares of any judgement, minus the deductible. If the parent has a homeowner's policy, it will pay until its limits are exhausted, and the umbrella will pay the rest, up to its limit.

Contact me today for coverage options, prices, and more information!

The bottom line is you are exposed to more risks than ever before and these risks could be financially devastating.

Happy Halloween!

Brock Insurance was swept away by a tornado last night and landed in OZ!

Homeowners Insurance and Halloween Risks
Safety Tips on How to Protect the Home and Trick or Treaters Read more at Suite101.com:

Celebrating Halloween usually includes buying candy, costumes, pumpkins and scary decorations. Whoever thinks about sprucing up the insurance policy for Halloween?
Although homeowners insurance is not usually the first thing that comes to mind at Halloween, it should be one of the items that is near the top of the Halloween list. The mere fact of the increased exposure (meaning a stream of people visiting the property), increases the possibility of a homeowners insurance claim.

Listed below are a few things a homeowner can do to reduce the risk of having to report a Halloween insurance claim.

Keep Fido out of the way. The constant ringing of the doorbell and the Halloween hustle and bustle gets dogs excited. The oddly dressed people on the other side of the door don't do much to calm Fido down. It's best to make sure that the dog is occupied or kept away from the door so that he does not feel the need to protect his turf or playfully jump on trick or treaters, knocking them to the floor. The last type of Halloween treat a homeowner wants is a liability suit because of the dog.
Practice extreme caution with candles. While the orange glowing effect of a candle adds to the Halloween ambiance, it can cause a fire if the candles are not carefully placed and monitored.
Illuminate walking paths for trick or treaters. It is possible to decorate a home for Halloween keeping with the dark and gloomy tradition while simultaneously providing enough light for the walking path. Whether the walkway is lined with glowing pumpkins or the muted illumination of solar lights, it is important for the homeowner to properly illuminate the walking path to avoid unnecessary trips and falls.
Keep all wiring off the walking path. Along with proper theme related lighting, homeowners must take care to keep the extension cords off the walkway or cover them with mats in such a way to prevent tripping and falling. Trips and falls are common causes for homeowner insurance third party liability claims.
Be careful of the 'shock and awe' affect. The Halloween celebration invokes thoughts of horror, fright and shock. However, in an attempt to reduce the possibility of a law suit, it is recommended to refrain from tactics such as suddenly jumping out from darkened bushes or other such scare tactics. These blood rushing tactics may be fun at an amusement park fun house, but it opens the homeowner up to another source of liability. Amusement parks carry Haunted House Insurance to cover such risks, homeowners do not.
Purchase additional coverage. If the thought of pulling in the reigns on a Halloween celebration puts a damper on the fun, maybe its time to consider purchasing additional insurance to cover the holiday. Homeowners can call their insurance agent to find out how much it will cost to increase their liability limits to cover the increased holiday exposure.
By taking just a few precautions, homeowners won't have to spend their time worrying about potential insurance claims. The only thing they should be concerned about is whether or not they have enough candy for the hungry little trick or treaters.

Read more at Suite101: Homeowners Insurance and Halloween Risks: Safety Tips on How to Protect the Home and Trick or Treaters

Happy Fall!

Fall is my favorite time of year. How about you?

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and enjoys this incredible fall weather!

Water, Not Fire, a Frequent Peril for Homeowners!

Travelers Insurance recently analyzed its claims in North Carolina, excluding claims related to catastrophes, and found damage caused by water accounted for 28 percent of all property claims in the state between April 2009 and October 2009, compared to three percent for fire. Furthermore, weather accounted for only five percent of those water damage claims, meaning that proper maintenance within the home may help homeowners avoid some of these problems.

Simple maintenance techniques can help you avoid the top causes of water damage to homes. The following list provides preventative measures to help avoid the top four common causes of non-weather-related water damage:

*Leaks from washing machine hoses: Washing machine hoses should be inspected annually and replaced every five years – or immediately, if there are any signs of cracking or bulging.

*Leaky plumbing around water heaters: Plumbing should be inspected annually and repaired if there are any signs of leaks or corrosion. When possible, water heaters should be installed in an area with floor drains to minimize damage if leaks should occur.

*Leaks from refrigerator ice machines: Ice maker connections, usually located behind the refrigerator, should be inspected annually and hoses replaced if they appear cracked or corroded.

*Clogged drain lines on air conditioning units: Air conditioning drain lines should be checked yearly.

To learn more about how to protect your home from water damage you can use these resources:

Home Maintenance Guide

Loss Prevention Resources

Information for Creating a Home Inventory

Operation EDITH!

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to speak to Mrs. Miller's 3rd grade class at Bethel Elementary school about Operation EDITH. EDITH stands for "Exit Drill in the Home". October 3-9 is National Fire Safety Week. The Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina created Operation EDITH to coincide with Fire Safety Week. This public safety campaign allows independent agents, like myself, the opportunity to speak to kids about the importance of fire safety.

From the moment I stepped into the classroom the children were attentive and excited. We started out by talking about smoke detectors and what to do when the detector goes off. We played a game where a student was the "smoke detector", another student was asleep in his bed, and two other students were the smoke (or in this case a big blanket). The students learned that when there is smoke in the room you get low on the ground and crawl out. You can imagine what happened next. The "smoke detector" started beeping and the student had to crawl under the smoke to safety. Needless to say, the kids thought this was a lot of fun!

Next we talked about sitting down with their parents and family members and planning and exit strategy in the case of a fire. Many had said they have already done this with their families. What a relief to hear!

Finally, we played one last game. I read them a story called "The Cow that Destroyed Chicago". This was about the Great Chicago Fire that happened on October 8, 1871. (It was a surprise to me that this is the reason we have Fire Safety Week!) I read the short story and asked the students questions at the end. For each one they got right, they won a prize! All of the students received pamphlets, stickers and a coloring book.

This was such a wonderful experience and I'm thankful to Mrs. Miller for letting me talk to her class. This is something our agency will be involved in each year for years to come!

Think You Don't Need Life Insurance? Think Again!

If you died tomorrow, how would your loved ones fare financially? It's not a pleasant scenario to think about, but not doing so can have serious consequences. At Brock Insurance, we are asking people this month to think about their life insurance needs to make sure their families are protected if the worst were to happen.

The fact is, most Americans need life insurance. If someone depends on you financially, you need life insurance. It's that simple. Unfortunately, roughly 70 million adult Americans have no coverage at all, and most of those who do have far less coverage than financial experts recommend.

Life insurance provides cash to your family, it can help your family pay for funeral and other expenses, eliminate credit card balances, car loans, and provide loved ones with income to live on for a period of time.

Whether a person needs life insurance depends on his or her particular situation and financial objectives. Here are some factors that determine whether you need life insurance:

You're Married: Married people share a life with one another, but also share financial obligations. If you died suddenly, would your surviving spouse have enough money to pay for your final expenses and buy time to adjust to a new ay of life? Life insurance can help ensure that these financial goals will be met.

You’re Married With Kids. Having kids is the most obvious reason to own life insurance. If you and your income were suddenly gone, would your spouse and kids be okay financially? Life insurance replaces lost income to help make sure those who depend on you will be provided for, no matter what life throws your way.

You’re a Single Parent. As a single parent, you're the caregiver, breadwinner, cook, chauffeur, and so much more. You need to make doubly sure that you have safeguarded your children’s future in case you are no longer there to care for them. Make sure you have enough life insurance and designate who will take care of your children in case the unthinkable were to happen.

You’re a Stay-at-Home Parent. Just because you don't bring home a paycheck doesn't mean you don't make contributions to your family that would be expensive to replace. If you were no longer there, could your spouse afford to pay someone to provide the childcare, transportation, cleaning, cooking and other household responsibilities that you handle every day?

You’re Approaching Retirement. The kids may be gone and the mortgage paid off, but that doesn't mean Social Security or your savings will necessarily take care of everything that lies ahead. If you died tomorrow, would your financial strategy, without insurance, enable your spouse to maintain the lifestyle that the two of you worked so hard to achieve?

You’re a Small Business Owner. Life insurance can help protect your business in a number of ways in the event you, your partner, or a key employee dies prematurely. A buy-sell agreement funded with life insurance allows surviving business owners to buy the company interests of a deceased business owner at a previously agreed-on price. Key-person insurance can provide business owners with the flexibility to hire a replacement when the key employee dies.

I urge everyone to take a few minutes out of their busy schedules this month to make sure they have adequate life insurance protection. And, as always do not hestitate to give me a call for a free quote or guidance.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Most, Least Affordable States for Auto Insurance

InsWeb has released it's list of the 10 Most and Least affordable states for car insurance! See where North Carolina landed. (You may be surprised!)

10 MOST affordable states:

1. Massachusetts
2. New Hampshire
3. Vermont
4. Minnesota
5. Utah
6. Nebraska
7. Hawaii
8. Indiana
9. NORTH CAROLINA!
10. Virginia

10 LEAST affordable states:

1. Louisiana
2. Oklahoma
3. Missouri
4. Washington, D.C.
5. New York
6. West Virginia
7. New Mexico
8. Kentucky
9. Arizona
10. Florida

Discount Insurance Programs!

Happy Monday!

During this tough economic time, we are always looking for ways to offer our clients discounts on their insurance needs. We have taken the initiative in setting up two discount programs for members of the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce and the Haywood Home Builders Association. Members of these groups are eligible for substantial discounts on their commercial insurance through Auto-Owners Insurance Group. In addition to the group program, your business may also be eligible for several additional discounts- such as muli-policy discount- depending upon your individual circumstances.

Discounts on:
Commercial Property
Commercial General Liability
Commercial Automobile
Commercial Umbrella
Garage Liability and Dealer Blanket

You may be asking yourself, "Who is Auto-Owners Insurance Group?"

Auto-Owners Insurance Group's Property and Casualty companies are rated A++ (superior) by A.M. Best Company, a nationally recognized independent insurance company rating organization. In 2004 Auto-Owners received the 2nd highest rating in a study conducted by a nationally recognized consumer magazine on customer satisfaction with their insurance company's handling of homeowner's claims. Auto-Owners Insurance Group's positive growth, secure investment portfolio, consumer confidence, dedicated associates and local independent agents (like us) representing them are what set Auto-Owners apart from other insurance companies since 1916. WE INSURE OUR OWN BUSINESS WITH THEM!

CALL ME TODAY FOR A FREE, NO OBLIGATION QUOTE OR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!

Have a great week!

Jolley Farms

We always love to sing the praises of our clients who are doing exciting things or are being recognized in the media! Jolley Farms of Canton grows micro greens and specialty vegetables for fine restaurants and green grocers throughout Western North Carolina, and recently supplied ingredients for the meals served to President and First Lady Obama at Grove Park Inn! Visit their website’s directory of restaurants and markets that carry fresh Jolley Farms micro greens, lettuces, Asian and Southern braising greens, petite and baby vegetables, and so much more! http://www.jolleyfarms.com/

Check out this story about Jolley Farms on BunnyCooks.com

We are proud to have them as clients (and also members of our family!)

Summer Safety Tips!

Protect your family and your home this summer by taking these simple precautions during your favorite activities.

Swimming:
• Stay with your kids while they’re at a pool, even if they can swim.
• Enclose your pool with a fence that’s at least 4 feet high with a self-locking gate. The lock should be out of kids’ reach.
• At a minimum, keep safety equipment like a life preserver and shepherds hook (a long pole with a hook on the end) ) nearby for emergencies.

Grilling:
• Only use grills outdoors. Carbon monoxide builds up quickly in enclosed spaces like garages.
• Keep grills away from other outdoor activities to prevent burns.
• Check your gas grill for leaks. Your local propane gas supplier can suggest a leak-detection solution.
• Don’t pour starter fluid in a gas grill or an already-lit charcoal grill.

Landscaping:
• Wear sturdy shoes and fitted clothing while mowing the lawn to keep your feet and skin protected, and turn off your mower before removing a stuck object.
• Use only GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets outdoors. Test them monthly by following these instructions.
• Replace power cords that are frayed or damaged.• Unless power tools are marked “submersible,” don’t get them wet.
• Be aware of pets and children—and keep a safe distance—while using lawn equipment.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!

Health-Care Reform: How Will it Affect You?

Don't want to read through the 2,000 page health-care bill? No problem. Below I have summarized how it will affect women, men, and the elderly. For more information go to HealthReform.gov

*If you have a pre-existing health condition and could not previously get coverage, you may qualify for a new, affordable federal plan.

Women

As of September:

*Your insurance company can no longer drop you from your health care plan if you get sick.
*Insurance carriers must cover preventative screenings, such as breast exams, mammograms, and Pap smears.

By 2014:
*It will be illegal for insurers to charge women higher premiums simply for being a woman.
*You can not be denied coverage for pre-existing conditions- including previous C-section or injuries caused by domestic abuse.
*All insurance carriers will be required to cover maternity care.
*Providers will be required to cover newborn care and pediatric services, as well as screening for postpartum depression.

Seniors

*More affordable prescription drug coverage.

*Improvements to Medicare Advantage. By 2014, this plan assures that at least 85% of every dollar these plans receive is spent on health care.

*The law increases the number of primary doctors, nurses and physicians assistants.

*Improves long-term care choices.

Below is a link to a brochure with helpful, easy to understand information about the bill and how it will affect you!

http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11467.pdf

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Get Prepared!

Hurricane season is upon us and we all need to be prepared. Even those of us in the mountains are not exempt from the dangers of hurricanes and tropical storms. Think back to 2004 with Hurricane Fran and Ivan. We were all affected by the devastating aftermath of these storms. Some have said that this could be one of the worst hurricane seasons in history, so let's get prepared! Below is important information from National Hurricane Center on how YOU can protect yourself, your family, your home and be prepared this hurricane season:

Develop a Family Plan!

Discuss the type of hazards that could affect your family. Know your home's vulnerability to storm surge, flooding and wind.
Locate a safe room or the safest areas in your home for each hurricane hazard. In certain circumstances the safest areas may not be your home but within your community.
Determine escape routes from your home and places to meet. These should be measured in tens of miles rather than hundreds of miles.
Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family members have a single point of contact.
Make a plan now for what to do with your pets if you need to evacuate.
Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones and make sure your children know how and when to call 911.
Check your insurance coverage - flood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance.
Stock non-perishable emergency supplies and a Disaster Supply Kit.
Use a NOAA weather radio. Remember to replace its battery every 6 months, as you do with your smoke detectors.
Take First Aid, CPR and disaster preparedness classes.

Secure Your Home!

RETROFITTING YOUR HOME
The most important precaution you can take to reduce damage to your home and property is to protect the areas where wind can enter. According to recent wind technology research, it's important to strengthen the exterior of your house so wind and debris do not tear large openings in it. You can do this by protecting and reinforcing these five critical areas:
ROOF STRAPS SHUTTERS DOORS GARAGE DOORSA great time to start securing - or retrofitting - your house is when you are making other improvements or adding an addition.
Remember: building codes reflect the lessons experts have learned from past catastrophes. Contact the local building code official to find out what requirements are necessary for your home improvement projects.
FLOOD INSURANCEThe National Flood Insurance Program, is a pre-disaster flood mitigation and insurance protection program designed to reduce the escalating cost of disasters. The National Flood Insurance Program makes federally backed flood insurance available to residents and business owners
Flood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance. Do not make assumptions. Check your policy.
National Flood Insurance Program call1-888-CALL-FLOOD

For more information and to track the storms visit http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Please feel free to email or call us if you have any questions. Stay safe!

First Course!

Welcome to our blog! While we are well aware that insurance can be among the most boring subjects to read in a blog, we wanted to create a more modern arena to share with you how important insurance is to your life. Yes, YOURS! I will be "dishing" weekly with useful information, updates, quizzes, and much more to help you protect the things that are most important!

For this first blog I would like to introduce the agency. We are Brock Insurance Agency, Inc. located between Canton and Clyde in the mountains of Western North Carolina. We have been serving this area for over 100 years. Our President/Owner is Kathy . Kathy has been working in insurance for almost 30 years and has owned the agency since 1992. Prior to coming to Brock Insurance, Kathy worked as a Claims Adjuster for Maryland Casualty, traveling across the United States on storm duty. She is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and a native of this area. Brenda has been with the agency since 1991 and is also a native of Canton. Erica joined the agency in April of 2008 and moved to North Carolina from Michigan. She loves calling this area home! Finally, my name is Sara and I joined the agency in November 2009 after graduating from the University of South Carolina and working in the State Legislature in Raleigh. I am also Kathy's daughter. We are now a multi-generational business! We all work very hard and pride ourselves on our efficiency in handling our customers needs.

I hope you will read our blog regularly and receive helpful information from it. Please do not hesitate to leave comments or questions and I will answer them promptly!

Have a SAFE and Happy 4th of July All!