April Showers Bring.... Wet Basements?

With spring upon us and the potential for showers soon starting, there may be some wet basements and properties this spring season.  What can you do to prepare?  First - review your insurance policy!

Grab yourself a cup of coffee, find a comfortable seat on the sofa, and take a few minutes to look for this very important rainy day coverage:  Backup of Sewer or Drain.

If you have a basement, that's below ground level, chances are you have a sump pump to help keep the water out.  Sump pump failures often occur during power outages or periods of heavy rain or melting snow.  When the sump pump fails, water can back up into your home.  If you have a finished basement, the damage can be extensive as water can seep into your furniture, floors, walls, and damage your electronic appliances.

On most Homeowners Insurance policies, coverage for this type of loss is EXCLUDED unless you purchase Backup of Sewer and Drain coverage.  it's important to check your policy to see if it's on there.  If you cannot find it, call your insurance agent and ask them to add it.  The additional coverage is relatively inexpensive and ranges from $50 to $100 per year, depending on the limit you choose.  It is an invaluable coverage.

In the event of a sump pump failure, you'll want to do everything you can to get the water cleaned up, and the space dried out, as quickly as possible.  If there is a lot of water you should consider calling Alliance Disaster Kleenup.  ADK has been taking care of the Chicagoland area for over a decade.  Waiting too long to clean up the water can cause mold problems which can be very costly to remediate.

After you have contacted Alliance Disaster Kleenup to discuss the situation and the extent of the damage - they will come out to your property and perform an inspection.  After the inspection, you should know where the source of the loss started, and steps needed to get your property back to pre-loss condition.  Based on this inspection, you should have an idea if the damage is extensive enough to file a claim or not.

Of course you may also want to inquire about Flood Insurance with your Insurance Agent.  This coverage needs to be in place 30 days before flooding starts, so the time is NOW to make that phone call and get this coverage.  Having the correct insurance coverage in place is extremely important.  This is one area in life that you do not want to skimp on.  Adding $100 a year can literally save you thousands of dollars in the event of a loss.  This is less than $2 per week, but it is also amazing the number of people that don't think they need the extra coverage.  Until it's too late.

Contact ADK Toll Free at: 1-800-499-5921  24/7/365

Veteran's Day

Top 10 ways to honor a veteran on Veterans Day


Americans celebrate Memorial Day in the spring and Veterans Day in the fall. While it can be easy to confuse the two holidays, Memorial Day is set aside to honor American’s war dead; Veterans Day is intended to honor the service of all U.S. veterans, both living and dead.
In fact, celebrations surrounding Veterans Day often place a special emphasis on thanking all living U.S. military veterans who have or are currently serving in any U.S. armed service.  And it’s the perfect time for all Americans to show appreciation for their service.
The best way to thank a military U.S. veteran for his or her service depends on the individual and his or her needs. But the most important thing is to do something to show your gratitude.


Here are 10 ideas to get you thinking about how to be grateful for veterans on November 11.
1. Raise. Display the American flag in your yard to demonstrate your support of veterans everywhere.
2. Listen. Strike up a conversation with a disabled or homeless veteran and be an active listener as you hear about their experience.
3. Speak. Simply say, “Thank you” to veterans you see.
4. Reach out. Contact a disabled or homeless veteran whom you know and spend some quality time together.
5. Support. Send a donation to organizations that support the special needs of veterans.
6. Find. Trace your ancestry and identify how many veterans are in your family.
7. Write. Send a letter to someone who’s currently serving in the military.
8. Visit. Visit a disabled veteran in his or her home or a homeless veteran on the street.
9. Learn. Educate yourself on the challenges veterans face when retiring from service to rejoin civilian life.
10. Share. Use your social media to help celebrate Veteran’s Day and acknowledge the service of all veterans.


To learn more ways to honor a veteran on November 11, visit http://www.wallawalla.va.gov/Misc/Honor_Veteran.asp. 


To all our American heroes, we at the Mars Insurance Agency thank you for your service to our country.


Did you know? Veteran’s Day is always celebrated on November 11, regardless of the day of the week. It’s also a federal holiday, so federal government employees take the day off on Monday if the 11th falls on a Sunday, and they take the day off on Friday if the 11th falls on a Saturday.


Contact Us!
At Mars Insurance, we can work with you to make sure you've got the coverage you need, while at the same time using all possible credits and discounts to make that coverage affordable. Just give us a call at 815-459-0711 or send us a note at marsinsurance@marsinsurance.com. We want to help you meet your goals, and make sure what's important to you is protected!


Content provided by Safeco Insurance

Night Driving Dangers

A little extra caution can go a long way while driving at night.


Summer has ended, and while fall and winter have their own pleasures — including high school football games and evening hayrides — longer nights mean increased danger on the roads.


You might think you drive just as well at night, but consider this: Even though nighttime driving accounts for just 23% of vehicle miles traveled, more than 50% of fatalities for vehicle occupants 16 and older occur between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to the National Safety Commission (NSC).


Because we’re big advocates for safety at Mars Insurance, we thought it would be helpful to take a look at why night driving is more dangerous, and what you can do to decrease that danger.






What’s dangerous about night driving?
1. Decreased vision. We won’t go into all the biological details, but different parts of the eye (such as iris, pupil and retina) work differently at night. Your peripheral vision is actually slightly improved, but it’s more difficult to focus on objects ahead of you. And traveling between well-lit areas and darker roads creates issues as well.

2. Driving too fast for your headlights. Depending on vehicle speed and headlight setting, many people “over-drive” their headlights. That means, by the time they see something on the road, it’s too late to stop in time to avoid it.

3. Impaired judgment. Whether due to drowsiness or the use of alcohol or drugs, it appears that drivers at night often don’t use good judgment. According to the NSC, 66% of fatalities at night involve vehicle occupants who weren’t wearing seat belts. 






So what do you do?
Sometimes, there’s no way around driving at night. So here are some tips to help you make a safe trip — whether you’re just running to the store, or you’re headed all the way to and from a Bears game.

1. Make sure your vehicle’s lights are in good working condition. And not just headlights, but turn signals, taillights, etc.

2. Avoid speeding. Leave a bigger cushion between you and other cars than you would during daylight hours. Leave yourself more time for the trip.

3. Be more aware of your surroundings. You shouldn’t be using your phone, messing around with the radio or trying to find something on the floor while you’re on the road anyway — and distractions are even more deadly at night.




Of course, if you’re not comfortable driving at night, the best thing is to avoid it altogether if possible. There’s nothing wrong with asking for a ride from a trusted safe driver or waiting for the sun to come out!




Sidebar:
We’re open all day!
When you’re driving around during the day, stop in to Mars Insurance for a review of your coverage. We won’t keep you after dark, we promise. Just give us a call at 815-459-0711. We’re here to help!


Contact Us!


Content provided by Safeco Insurance

Fire Hazard - From 9-Volt Batteries

Do you have a “junk drawer” somewhere in your house?  Most people do, and most of us probably don’t give a second thought to what we put in it.  We probably should since there may be items that, when thrown in together, can start a fire.  People have all sorts of stuff in a “junk drawer.”  One of those things could cause a fire, such as a 9-volt battery.

In a demonstration, items like keys, the clip of a pen and paper clips were put on a 9-volt battery and set next to a tissue.  In minutes, the battery heated up.  In approximately 10 minutes, the tissue had already browned.  The same process works even faster with steel wool.



There are easy solutions.  Just take a piece of electrical tape and put it across the battery posts.  It’s a simple move to protect your house from a common, but very real risk.  Experts also say it’s dangerous to store 9-volt batteries in containers with other batteries, as this can also cause a fire.



Article taken from Standard Mutual Insurance Company News & Views – May, 2014

Backyard Safety Tips #

The Grill

1.        Keep barbecue grills on a level surface away from the house, garage, landscaping and children.
2.       Wear a heavy apron and use a long-armed oven mitt to protect yourself.
3.       Let the coals cool completely before disposing of them in a metal container.
4.       Remember that grills remain hot long after you are through barbecuing.

Play Sets

1.        Have adult supervision on hand while children are playing on the equipment.
2.       Regularly check the equipment for sturdiness, rusty bolts and wood rot, and make necessary repairs.
3.       Ensure that play sets do not have openings between pieces that could trap a child’s head or neck.
4.       Place play sets securely on level ground and on wood chips or other soft materials to cushion and help prevent injuries.



Information taken from Travelers Insurance

Lawn Care Safety Tips

Lawn Mowers

1.        Read the mower’s manual, heed safety and operating instructions and learn the controls.

2.       Children should be at least 12 years old before operating a push lawn mower, and age 16 to operate a driving lawn mower.

3.       Do not allow children to ride as passengers on a lawn mower, and be sure to keep children out of the yard while mowing.

4.       Clean up toys and other objects, such as rocks, from the yard to help prevent injuries from flying objects.

5.       Never leave a running mower unattended.

6.       Never operate the mower in an enclosed place where carbon monoxide can collect.

7.       Never unclog or work on a lawn mower while the engine is on or when the spark plug is connected.  Doing this puts the user at risk for being injured by the blade.

8.       Wear non-slip shoes, long pants and ear plugs for protection.


(Information taken from Travelers Insurance Insights)




Frank Zimmerman, CIC
Mars Insurance Agency, Inc
815-459-0711
Fax:  815-459-1174

April Showers Bring... Wet Basements?

With spring upon us and the potential for showers soon starting, there may be some wet basements and properties this spring season. What can you do to prepare?  First- review your insurance policy!
Grab yourself a cup of coffee, find a comfortable seat on the sofa, and take a few minutes to look for this very important rainy day coverage:  Backup of Sewer or Drain.

If you have a basement that’s below ground level, chances are you have a sump pump to help keep the water out.  Sump pump failures often occur during power outages or periods of heavy rain or melting snow.  When the sump pump fails, water can back up into your home.  If you have a finished basement, the damage can be extensive as water can seep into your furniture, floors, walls, and damage your electronic appliances.

On most Homeowners insurance policies, coverage for this type of loss is EXCLUDED unless you purchase Backup of Sewer and Drain coverage.  It’s important to check your policy to see if it’s on there.  If you cannot find it, call your insurance agent and ask them to add it.  The additional coverage is relatively inexpensive and ranges from $50 to $100 per year, depending on the limit you choose.  It is an invaluable coverage.

In the event of a sump pump failure, you’ll want to do everything you can to get the water cleaned up, and the space dried out, as quickly as possible.  If there is a lot of water you should consider calling Alliance Disaster Kleenup.  ADK has been taking care of the Chicagoland area for over a decade.  Waiting too long to clean up the water can cause mold problems which can be very costly to remediate.

After you have contacted Alliance Disaster Kleenup to discuss the situation and the extent of the damage- they will come out to your property and perform an inspection.  After the inspection, you should know where the source of loss started, and steps needed to get your property back to pre-loss condition. Based on this inspection, you should have an idea if the damage is extensive enough to file a claim or not.

Of course you may also want to inquire about Flood Insurance with your Insurance Agent.  This coverage needs to be in place 30 days before flooding starts, so the time is NOW to make that phone call and get this coverage.
Having the correct insurance coverage in place is extremely important. This is one area in life that you do not want to skimp on. Adding $100 a year can literally save you thousands of dollars in the event of a loss.  This is less than $2 per week, but it is also amazing the number of people that don’t think they need the extra coverage.  Until it’s too late.

Information provided by Alliance Disaster Kleenup.  Mars Insurance makes no recommendation or warranty for the services of Alliance Disaster Kleenup.  Many companies provide the same type of services, and we recommend contacting several to obtain comparison quotations and recommendations.