Staying Safe in Your Automobile

By now, even if you reside in a state without seat belt regulations, you’re aware that buckling up can save your life. But buckling your seat belt is not the only way you can proactively act to keep you and your family safe in your automobile.

1. Properly arm your airbags: If your vehicle contains air bags, ensure they are accurately armed. If they have been triggered, you’ll need to get them armed professionally.

2. Utilize your seat belt properly: There is a purpose for seat belts stretching over our chests and not only our laps. These chest straps prevent us from hitting the dashboard, the seat in front of us, or getting a dangerous case of whiplash. Make sure to buckle your seat belt as it was designed so you can get the maximum level of protection.

3. Plan appropriate and timely vehicle repairs: Transmission problems can cause your vehicle to act up in the middle of the street; improperly filled tires can compromise your brake system—there’s no limit to the prospective accidents that car maintenance problems can cause. Bring your vehicle to the mechanic on a regular basis so he or she can check for these problems before they help cause an accident.

4. Exercise airbag safety: Airbags have saved a lot of lives, but they can also be harmful in some situations. Kids under age twelve should never sit in the front seat with driver’s side airbags. If they need to, they should be properly buckled up with the seat far away from the dashboard, since airbags can actually injure anyone who is 2-3 inches from the point of inflation. Because the driver’s airbag is in the steering wheel, he or she can be injured, too. Measure your usual seating position when you drive and ensure that you are located at least 10 inches away from the center of the steering wheel.

5. Use rear facing car seats: Airbags are not the sole in-car threat to a child’s safety. Infants less than one year old or who weigh under 20 lbs. should always be buckled into rear-facing child’s seats in the back seat of the vehicle. Children under 4’ 9” should also use booster seats when riding in the car. This protects against seat belt injuries in case of an accident.

6. Adjust all mirrors: It’s simple to get into your car after another driver has ridden in it and forget to reposition your mirrors. This can lead to blind spots that let you back into an obstacle or change lanes without seeing a neighboring driver. Always be sure that your mirrors are appropriately adjusted and that you look for your mirror’s blind spots before navigating through traffic.

Exercising these easy car safety precautions will give you peace of mind and might one day even save a life.

For more information about Longview car insurance, give Shipman Insurance Agency a call at 903-297-4456.

What Can Affect Your Homeowners Insurance Rate?

Your personalized quote for homeowners insurance is not seen on any type of static chart that compares your age, home value and deductible information to a set price. Homeowners insurance quotes are specifically created for each customer and are based on the very unique details of your lifestyle and living area. Here’s a sampling of what several of the factors involved in your premium pricing consist of:

The age of your home: Older homes are less fortified against natural disasters than newer homes, and are also more costly to fix. Newer houses are constructed to new safety standards and with more durable materials. What does this mean for you? That if you have an older house, you can expect a more expensive Longview home insurance quote.

The structure of your house: Wood frame houses are susceptible to fire in a way that concrete block and brick houses are not. Concrete houses can also stand up to harsher environmental elements. That makes wood frame homes more costly to insure.

The breed of dog you own: You might assume your dogs have no effect on the price of your homeowners insurance premium—but then, you’d be incorrect. Some breeds of dog are known for their tendency to attack strangers. While your dog might be perfectly trained and accepting of a tummy rub from anyone on the block, if you have one of the higher risk breeds then the status of the breed supersedes Rex’s prior behavior and will result in a higher insurance premium due to heightened liability.

Fire protection options: Smaller towns do not always possess their own fire department. Instead, they might have a volunteer team to fight the small flames, with the bigger city force lending a hand to handle the bigger fires. The type of fire fighting department you have access to in your home will help determine what types of premiums you are charged for your insurance. Additionally, your proximity to a fire hydrant can impact the rates you are charged—with closer proximity compensated with lower premiums.

Insurance companies need to know all the facts when they are evaluating your home for homeowners insurance coverage. Each of the specifics above, along with numerous others, come together to create a picture of the total risk you and your family expose the insurance company to. It is this complete picture with both positive and bad points that will determine the premium you are charged.

For more information about home insurance, give Shipman Insurance Agency a call at 866-515-7007.