Melendez Insurance Blog

What Road Salt Does to Your Car

The Chicago Winter is here. And with it comes difficult driving conditions like whiteouts and black ice. Road salt definitely helps makes the roads safer. A study conducted by Marquette University found that de-icing winter roads with salt reduces accidents by 88 percent and injuries by 85 percent. Each year, state and local agencies spend more than $2.3 billion on snow and ice control operations. Yet there are some definite downsides to road salt when it comes to your car. Read on to learn exactly how road salt works—and what road salt does to your car. How road salt works Salt—a.k.a. sodium chloride in scientific terms—lowers the melting point of water. So while water normally freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, water needs colder temperatures in order to freeze when it’s exposed to salt. The more salt you add, the lower the temperature needed to freeze water is. The water that results after salt is applied to ice is known as “brine.”… Read More

How to Organize Your Important Paperwork, Once and For All

The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Your Important Paperwork First things first: Invest in a good shredder. Identity thieves have been known to comb through trash (gross) to find bits and pieces of your discarded personal information. Shred any documents with personal information in them so they don’t get the opportunity. Invest in a sturdy safe deposit box. On the other end of the spectrum, there are records you want to hold on to forever–so buy something solid to keep them protected from theft, water damage or fire. Also keep an inventory of what’s in there, and review it once a year. Establish a trusted system, and stick to it. What good is an organization binge if the papers will just pile up in another week because you don’t know where to put them? Find what works for you–a bill box, a filing cabinet, a desk drawer–and stick to it. Think about going digital.… Read More

What is the City Responsible For?

When things go wrong inside your house, you know the burden’s on you (or your homeowners insurance) to get things fixed. Things can get a little confusing when something is kind of yours and kind of your city’s responsibility. Who pays then? While there’s usually no clear-cut answer, the following information can give you some clarity around the issue. Trees Trees cause more than $1 billion of property damage in the United States every year. Who pays for that damage can be tricky. And that’s true whether your neighbor’s tree falls in your yard or a tree straddles the line between your property and your city’s property. If a tree is located between your street and your sidewalk, it is typically owned by the city. So it would probably be your city’s responsibility to remove it if it fell or became damaged. Many cities have an arborist on staff who can let you know for sure.… Read More

Eight Tips to Help Avoid Costly Slips, Trips & Falls

No one wants to see employees hurt on the job, especially if an accident was preventable. Unfortunately, slips, trips and falls can be major and costly accidents in the workplace. Nearly 20 percent of the workers’ compensation claims filed last year were due to slips and falls. About one-third missed work for a significant time because of their injuries, which can increase the cost of claims dramatically. With a proper safety plan in place, you could avoid accidents or reduce the severity of accidents, decrease an injured employees’ time away from work and avoid productivity drops. You could also keep your costs in check. What are the common causes of slips, trips, falls? Slips, trips and falls can occur on a variety of walking surfaces as well as on ramps and stairways. Some of the major hazards associated with these accidents can include: Slippery, broken or uneven surfaces Inadequate spill cleanup Poor drainage Weather conditions Loose rugs or wrinkled carpet Clutter, poor lighting or obstructed views 8-question checklist for evaluating floor safety So are the floors at your business safe?… Read More

What Happens If My Neighbor’s Tree Falls in My Yard?

Trees can be tricky, but for the most part homeowners, building owners and landlords are responsible for what falls into their own yard. So if your neighbor’s tree falls in your yard, your homeowners insurance would typically help cover the cost of removing the tree and remedying the damage it caused, after your deductible. The same is true in reverse: If a tree on your property falls in your neighbor’s yard, your neighbor should file a claim with his or her insurance company. In most cases, neighbors are able to work things out without too much trouble. If there’s ever an issue, you can rely on your claims adjuster to help straighten everything out. The claims process If a tree falls on your house, make sure to take some photos. Then call your claims adjuster, who will evaluate the damage and explain how your homeowners coverage comes into play. It’s recommended that you call your claims adjuster before you contract to have the tree removed.… Read More

Can Your Business Afford to Lose $3,000 a Day?

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The recent storms that swept across the country shut many businesses down for days on end. Downtime like that can cost your business big bucks: The Symantec 2011 SMB Disaster Preparedness Survey revealed that disasters cost inoperable small businesses an average of $3,000 a day. Most people would never consider opening a business without coverage for things like fires and weather events. But many small business owners don’t think about how they would manage if a fire or other disaster made their building temporarily unusable. A business that has to close down completely while the premises are being repaired may lose out to competitors—or even end up going out of business. The good news is that you can protect your business with business interruption insurance. Business interruption insurance covers the revenue you would have earned (based on your financial records) had the disaster not occurred. The policy also covers continuing operating expenses (like electricity) that continue even though business activities have come to a temporary halt.… Read More

Life Insurance is More Affordable Than Most People Think

Whether you’re someone saving for retirement, a stay-at-home parent or a cosigner on a student loan, you may have a need for life insurance. Yet you may feel held back by the expense of buying a life insurance policy. The good news: Life insurance probably costs a lot less than you think. Check out the infographic below to learn more about the true cost of life insurance.

Keep Loved Ones Safe With These Pool Tips

Many Americans retreat to swimming pools throughout the summer to escape the blistering heat. For some, a pool party complete with drinks, grilled food, and music is an essential part of a perfect summer day. While swimming pools are great for bringing family and friends together, there are risks and pool safety concerns home owners should consider. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly ten people drown each day in the United States and there are over 3,000 unintentional drowning deaths, unrelated to boating, every year. While swimming in a residential pool is relaxing and great for physical exercise, it does present dangers that home owners should prepare for—especially when children are present. In fact, the Red Cross states that about 200 children drown in residential swimming pools annually. Vigilance and certain safety precautions can greatly reduce accidental injuries and swimming-related deaths. Invest in Adequate Fencing and Gates According to MSN Real Estate, it is extremely important for home owners to have locking gates and fencing surrounding a pool.… Read More

Five Steps for Landlords to Safely Rent to Dog Owners

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What Keeps You Awake at Night? If you are a landlord, perhaps you’d like to rent to people with pets, but the implications worry you too much. In fact, concern about what could happen keeps you awake at night. You imagine that new hardwood floor scratched to pieces, antisocial barking, and tenants with a vicious dog that refuse to leave. Then there is your worst nightmare of the dog attacking another tenant and you being liable. But you can stop worrying because by following these five simple steps, you can rent to pet owners and rest easy. Advantages of Pet-Owning Tenants There is a large pool of responsible people out there with good, regular income who are desperately seeking accommodation just like yours. You’d be happy to rent to them, right? If the only thing stopping you is their pet, think again. Statistics show that pet owners are more likely to have a good, regular income than non-pet owners, and that pet owners are more commonly long-term tenants who move less frequently.… Read More

How to Insure a Home Under Construction

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Most homebuyers opt to buy a home that already exists. But maybe you’re thinking of buying a home that’s being constructed—either by you or by a contractor of your choice. If you plan on moving into a home that doesn’t yet exist, there’s more to it than finding the right contractor. You’ll also want to insure the home while it’s being constructed. That’s because a home being constructed is also vulnerable to risks like severe weather damage and theft. “There are several ways to insure a home being constructed,” says Terry McConnell, vice president, Personal Lines Underwriting, at Erie Insurance. “It mostly depends on who is building the house: a contractor working on behalf of a developer, a contractor hired by an individual or an individual looking to build his or her own home.” If it’s a contractor working on behalf of a developer McConnell explains that a contractor working as a developer typically has a builder’s risk commercial policy while the home is under construction.… Read More