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In today’s world, everybody is looking for a good deal. Whether it’s on groceries, a new car, or insurance, we always feel better about our purchase if there’s cost savings involved.

However, remember the old saying, “You get what you pay for.” There are many reasons why pricing differs between insurance carriers and their policies. Ignoring recommended coverages made by your agent or reducing coverage can have devastating consequences for you and your family.

While it’s important to live within your budget, you may want to look at other ways to save money.

SOURCE:  West Bend, Posted by Scott Stueber on Sep 5, 2017 1:00:00 PM

Is it just me, or is it hard to believe Labor Day is almost here? For many, Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer. Many families celebrate with parties, picnics, or trips to their favorite campground or getaway destination one last time. While I cook on my grill all year round, it’s holiday cooking that I enjoy most.

Whatever your grill preference may be (gas, charcoal, or smoker) cleaning your grill grates is important. By cleaning your grates before or after each use, you’ll reduce rust buildup and guarantee better tasting food.

Before putting food on my gas grill, I usually preheat it for about 10 minutes and then scrape off the residual food with a wire brush. What I didn’t know, until recently, is that using a wire brush can be dangerous.

Depending on how old your stainless steel/brass wire brush is, or how vigorously you use it, the metal bristles can fall off and stick to your grill grate. If these tiny bristles are cooked into your food and ingested, severe injuries can occur to your digestive system. They can cause punctures to your esophagus, intestines, or stomach. These punctures can lead to severe pain or even death. Unfortunately, one mom learned about these dangers the hard way. Jenna Kuchik’s son Ollie was rushed to the hospital after a metal bristle was lodged in his throat. Thankfully, today he is doing fine.

If you use a wire brush to clean your grill, here are some safety tips.

1. Inspect your brush before each use. Look for loose bristles. If you notice that they are sticking to your grill, throw it away.

2. Use the blade only. If your wire brush includes a metal blade attached to it, use that for cleaning depending on your type of grate. Some grates such as porcelain should not be scraped with a metal or wire brush.

3. Look for a safe alternative. Many alternative things can be used to clean your grates. Such alternatives include:

• Aluminum foil;
• Newspaper;
• Nylon brush;
• An onion; and
• Cleaning spray.

4. Examine your grill after cleaning. If you continue to use a wire brush, carefully examine your grill grates before putting on your food.

It’s recommended that at least once per year, you give your grates a thorough cleaning by soaking them in a mixture of vinegar and baking soda.

For additional grilling safety tips, check out the link below.

Grilling tips to keep you and your family safe

Wishing you a safe and enjoyable Labor Day!

Source:

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/07/14/swallow-bbq-brush-bristles_a_23030287/
https://www.charbroil.com/community/clean-grill-grates/

SOURCE:  West Bend, Posted by Scott Stueber on Aug 29, 2017 11:20:47 AM

A growing number of individuals today, especially Millennials, choose not to own an automobile. Auto loans and the costs of maintaining a vehicle aren’t appealing to them. With a number of alternative modes of transportation, like trains, buses, and bicycles, owning a vehicle isn’t always necessary. Commuters can easily get to their destinations using popular ride-sharing programs, such as Uber and Lyft.

If you don’t own an automobile, here are some things to consider.

What if you rent a vehicle while you’re on vacation or need to borrow a friend’s truck to haul that new couch you bought at Ikea? Rental car companies will sell you their own insurance, but it’s expensive and comes with hidden fees. What if your friend let his auto insurance lapse or he has low liability limits? Why risk it?

Sarah Faris, senior personal lines underwriter will discuss how a West Bend policy covers these situations.

West Bend’s Home and Highway^® policy has a solution: Add Named Non-Owner coverage to your policy. This coverage provides you with personal auto liability protection at a discounted rate over standard auto coverage. It includes Medical Payments in case you’re injured in a car accident. It also provides Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist coverage, which protects you from individuals who drive without auto insurance or who have low limits.

Named–Non-Owner coverage not only protects you as the vehicle driver, you’re also protected if you’re a passenger in a vehicle, like that Uber ride, and when you’re a pedestrian.

You select the desired auto liability limits and add the coverage to your insurance policy. Since West Bend’s Home and Highway is a package policy, this coverage takes the place of typical auto coverage so you can easily bundle it with your homeowner’s coverage.

SOURCE:  WEST BEND, Posted by Scott Stueber on Aug 15, 2017 4:14:44 PM

It seems like just yesterday we moved our daughter into her dorm for the start of her freshman year. In a few short weeks, she’ll be starting her junior year.

I’ve learned that each year brings new ideas and challenges. As college students search for independence, a new challenge for this school year could be renting an apartment.

If you’ve been down this road before, you know renting an apartment for a college student can be stressful. If this is your first time, there are many things to keep in mind.

Unfortunately, when it comes to renting an apartment in your student’s college town, you’ll notice that rent prices can be through the roof and places may be in poor condition.

Here are some tips to help you and your college student through the process.

1.  Do your homework. Before scheduling an appointment to view the apartment, do your research. Some items to think about are:

• Is there public transportation nearby?
• Is it a residential area or business district?
• If it is a business district, what type of work is performed there?
• Are retail stores and restaurants within walking distance?

Use the power of the internet to your advantage.

• Look for online reviews from previous renters.
• Compare and contrast different properties.
• Use tools such as Google Earth to look at the neighborhood as well as the condition of the property.
• If something looks too good to be true, it may be a scam; proceed with caution.

2. Pay a personal visit. Once you have selected apartments of interest, visit each one. Make sure the pictures online accurately reflect the condition of the property. The last thing you want to do is rent an apartment without seeing it. A visit allows you the opportunity to:

• See the actual size. This is a nice opportunity to see if their furniture will fit.
• Check out the quality of the appliances.
• Look in cupboards and closets. Keep an eye out for mouse droppings.
• Identify preexisting damages such as holes in the walls or carpet stains.
• Run the water in sinks and showers and flush the toilet.

3. Coach your kids. This is an opportunity for your kids to enter the realm of adulthood. Discuss with them what to look for and questions to ask. Lights burned out in the hallway or empty beer cans may not seem like a big deal, but can provide a glimpse of poor maintenance schedules or rowdy neighbors. While these things may not be a big deal at the time, they could be after signing a 12-month lease.

4. Discuss your expectations. Property owners may not be comfortable renting to your college student due to lack of income. Therefore, you may be asked to co-sign the lease. Before you sign on the dotted line, discuss your expectations with your student. It may not even be a bad idea to create a contract between the two of you. Once you co-sign, any damages that occur are your responsibility.

5. Make sure the lease is in writing. Signing a lease with a large apartment complex often leads to paperwork that is more thorough. Individual property owners may not follow a structured approach. If they don’t have the appropriate paperwork in place, consider renting somewhere else.

6. Test their smartphone. Depending on the construction of the building or their phone company, your student’s smartphone may not work. Have them walk through each room to make sure it works. I’m sure you’ll want to get a hold of them from time to time.

7. Understand the pet policy. Simply having a pet may cause you to forfeit your security deposit even if your pet doesn’t cause any damages.

8. Don’t forget to purchase renters insurance. Most landlords’ insurance policies cover only the building, not what’s in it. Many students think because they’re in college, they don’t have anything valuable to insure. Imagine if they lost everything in a fire. The cost to replace necessities adds up quickly. To learn more about renters insurance, check out the blogs below.

Renters Coverage? Why do I need that?

Renter’s insurance. A smart choice for college students

BUY VS RENT? Either way homeowners (aka renters) insurance is needed!

9. Make multiple visits. Visiting at night or during poor weather conditions can paint an even better picture for the both of you. No one wants to rent a place with roof that leaks or one that has poor insulation. Poor insulation can lead to increased heating costs.

10. Pros and cons. After each visit, identify the pros and cons while they’re fresh in your mind.

SOURCE, West Bend, Posted by Scott Stueber on Aug 8, 2017 9:06:52 AM

When warm weather is here, many look for ways to enjoy our time outside. One of those ways is to get on a bicycle and go for a ride. With school a few weeks away, a bicycle can also turn into the main mode of transportation.

There are many benefits to riding bicycles, whether it’s for recreation, getting around town, or going to work. Besides the benefit of getting exercise, in many cities it’s easier to find parking for a bicycle than a vehicle. Now it’s also easier to get around, since access to roads, bike paths, and rural trails has increased. In addition, the increased use of bicycles helps reduce air and noise pollution, consumption of fossil fuel, and traffic congestion.

There are many different bicycles to choose; what’s best for you depends on your use and the distance you plan to ride. Options range from the traditional bicycle, to tricycle, quadracycle, recumbent, and human-powered vehicles (HPV) such as pedal assist, electric, or motorized bicycles. The HPV bicycles help the rider go farther or faster with less effort due to their design with pedal assist technology.

The traditional bicycle is covered for physical damage as contents under personal property on the homeowners’ policy. If a motor is attached to a bicycle, as in the pedal assist-type bicycles, these now become motorized vehicles. The standard homeowners’ policy does not provide coverage for motorized vehicles.

When making the decision to purchase a new bicycle, check with your insurance agent to see if it will automatically be covered or, in the case of a motorized bicycle, it should be scheduled in order to provide liability and physical damage coverages. This will help protect your investment.

SOURCE:  West Bend, Posted by Scott Stueber on Aug 1, 2017 9:00:00 AM

Too often in the news, we hear about people dying from their injuries because of being ejected from their car during an accident. In many cases, a simple click of the seat belt could have prevented these deaths from occurring.

Sue Gerlach, personal lines senior underwriter, shares her personal story on how wearing a seat belt saved her daughter’s life. Sue also shares additional information that can help keep you and your teen driver(s) safe.

Last December, I was driving home from work and as I got closer to home, the more slippery the roads became. After nearly sliding past my driveway, I managed to arrive safely. Because my daughter would soon be leaving work, I texted her a warning about the roads and asked her to be careful. She replied she would be. In typical Mother fashion, I watched for her arrival which seemed to take forever. Then my phone rang; it was my daughter. She flipped her car. After a deep breath, I asked if she was okay. “Yes,” she told me. “I had my seat belt on and I am fine.” I was very thankful my daughter wore her seatbelt. While her car was a total loss, the seat belt saved her from injury … or worse.

The next month, a young driver just recently licensed, stopped on the way to school to pick up a classmate. As they continued on, she hit a patch of black ice. She lost control of the car and hit a tree. While her passenger was wearing a seatbelt and was fine, the driver wasn’t wearing hers. She was ejected from the car and died of her injuries. Her parents will always wonder why she didn’t wear her seatbelt. Did she take it off when she picked up her classmate or did she just forget? Unfortunately, they’ll never know.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in the first three decades of Americans’ lives. More than half of the people killed in car crashes weren’t restrained at the time of the crash. Wearing a seat belt is the most effective way to prevent death and serious injury in a crash.

During the summer months, roadways are busy and congested. Did you know that Memorial Day to Labor Day is considered the “100 deadliest days” for teen drivers? More time hanging out with friends and going to their summer jobs puts teens behind the wheel more often. Before your teen leaves home, remind them to buckle up.

Graduated licensing laws help remind newer drivers to buckle up. In addition, more people wear seat belts in states in which you may also receive a seat belt violation when pulled over for another offence. In states that fine people for not wearing a seat belt, even MORE drivers wear them. In addition, did you know that in many states, the driver could be ticketed if the passenger isn’t buckled up? Therefore, if you’re driving, make sure all your passengers are wearing their seat belts.

It’s unfortunate that we need these laws and fines to get people to buckle up. Of course, you need more than a seat belt to keep you safe. We all need to follow the rules of the road … obeying the speed limits, watching the lines on the road to prevent unsafe passing, slowing down at a yellow light and even stopping instead of speeding up. We all know what to do to be safe. So why does a tragic accident make us re-think our driving habits? Why are we always in such a hurry? Why do we always think it won’t be us in that accident?

Seat belts will always be one of the most important things you put on when you get in your vehicle.  Another important item is your paying-attention hat. Watch for distracted drivers and deer or other animals (in the country AND in the city), be prepared to stop for school buses, and above all, DO NOT look at your cell phone or text while you drive!

Remember: Be safe, be attentive, and remember to buckle up!

SOURCE:  WEST BEND, Posted by Scott Stueber on Jul 25, 2017 9:00:00 AM