I'm On A Boat!

Summer will be here in no time.  I’m sure we will all be searching for fun places to cool down because Texas summers are typically VERY HOT. So hot that most of the time I don’t want to go outside.  If you have kids, you know that they are going to get bored fast so staying inside usually isn’t an option.

So what are some fun activities that can be done outside without fear of melting in the Texas heat? Swimming, waterparks, slip and slides, or even just spraying your kids down with a water hose are some of the ideas that I can think of. Just remember… If you are spraying your kids down with a water hose, let the water run for a little bit before you spray them.  That water can be pretty hot when you first turn it on during the summertime months.

With all the rain we've had this year most of the lakes water levels are back up so if you have a boat, the possibilities are endless! Waterskiing, swimming, tubing, knee boarding, fishing and whatever else you can think of when you have a boat.  Whatever else that keeps everyone out of harms way, that is. It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt so before you get that boat out on the water make sure you have checked your boat out and that you have all that is needed on the boat, in case of an emergency.

Knowing and following the rules and laws while out on your boat is something everyone should practice. Though it is the responsibility of the driver, it wouldn’t hurt to educate those on your boat as well. To learn more about boat rules and safety, Texas Parks & Wildlife offers a Boat Safety course to teach you what you need to know before you head out on the water. And just so you know, taking a safety course on boating could make you eligible for a discount on your insurance.

According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife, 70% of people who were killed in a boating accident would have survived if they had just worn a life jacket. It’s not only important to wear a lifejacket or Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs), it’s also very important to have the correct size PFD. There are different sizes for different weights and different types for different vessels. For more information on the different types of PFD and what type you need for your boat check out the Texas Parks & Wildlife.

Besides a PFD, other necessities you need to keep on your boat are things like a throwable personal floatation device, extra paddle or oar, fire extinguisher, flares, whistles or an air horn, and something you can put all your passengers in if your boat sinks. If possible, call for help on your cell phone.  One or all passengers will likely have their cell phones with them for selfies on the boat.   One item to not bring on the boat is alcohol. Alcohol and driving on land or water is never a good idea.

For more information on boating safety, the Texas Parks & Wildlife site is a great place to start. Whether it’s boating, hunting, fishing or anything outdoorsy, you should find your answers there.

Well that's a different way to put a boat in the water...

Bryce's Buddy Bash

Join us as we raise money for our young friend Bryce and his family. Bryce is an active 6 year old boy who attends one of the local schools and his family attends Fellowship of the Parks - Keller (FOTP Keller).  Bryce has hit early puberty due to an inoperable brain tumor. Even though there is not an operation in the future the expenses will continue to build up as he goes through extensive treatment. 

We will have live bands, a silent auction, a photo booth donated by Photo Bomb-Photo Booth Rentals, a dunk tank donated by The Floor Store of Keller, bounces houses, games and so much more. Pickles will be donating a percentage of sales back as well. So come out and enjoy great food, great music and meet a really great kiddo!  A special thank you to Outabounds Design Group / Ronnie Landreth for designing the great logo and Sarah Carter with Dynasty Pools for all your help in the planning process.

In the meantime, go to Bryce's Buddy Bash page on Facebook, share the event with your family and friends for a chance to be put in a drawing to win 4 Texas Ranger tickets, pray for Bryce and his family and make plans to attend.

***We are accepting silent auction items and if any business would like to set up a game at the event please contact Donna Kirkwood here at Farmers Insurance, The Kirkwood Agency at 817-898-0370.

#BrycesBuddyBash

Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

If April showers bring May flowers, shouldn't that mean nice weather in May? I hope so because I am pretty sure that we are all done with severe weather in the DFW area. Along with May flowers and hopes for nice weather comes the call of the open road for motorcyclists. It’s time to shine up those pipes and answer that call of open road.

May also brings Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. According to TxDOT, more motorcycle accidents happen in the spring and summer time than in the fall and winter. Motorcyclists take advantage of the (hopefully) nice weather and ride more during these times of the year. To bring awareness to those of us not riding motorcycles, TxDOT’s Share the Road campaign urges drivers to look twice when changing lanes and at intersections.  These two places seem to be the most common places for motorcycle accidents occur.  TxDOT along with LookLearnLive.org and several other organizations work together to raise awareness for motorcyclists and all how are on the road driving.

Even with the billboards to help bring awareness to this campaign, accidents will happen. When it does, will the coverage you currently have cover what it needs to? Does your provider offer added coverage? What about discounts or rewards? If you have your Motorcycle Insurance with Farmers, you know the answers to those question are all YES!

Farmers appreciates that when you are out on the open road you want to enjoy it! Soak in the sun, be free on the road and not worry about coverage.  For those reasons, Farmers has the #SMART choice in motorcycle coverage with 24/7 Claim Services, savings with multi-line discounts, coverage from one provider, specialized coverage, year-round rates that take into account mostly seasonal use and  best of all me, right here in your neighborhood.

Discounts and rewards? There most certainly are! Discounts for taking a safety course, renewal discount with continued coverage, having prior insurance, and bundling with another Farmers policy are just a few ways to save money from discounts. Would you consider yourself a responsible rider? I’d love to go over the different rewards available for responsible riders, another way to save money on your policy. 

Flood Insurance? I Don’t Live in a Flood Zone

Here’s the thing… Mother Nature decides whether you live in a flood zone or not. Given the right conditions, she can make it flood anywhere at any time. Not even Meteorologists can be 100% correct on the weather, especially if you live in Texas. It can snow in the morning and by the afternoon the snow has melted leaving a soggy mess.  Luckily, the quick melting snow didn't cause flooding this year… Next year could be different. This is the very reason why you need  Flood Insurance because a little water can cause big damage. 

While you can purchase Flood Insurance at any time, in most cases, there is a 30 day waiting period between the time of purchase to the time your coverage begins. Having Flood Insurance is having one less thing to worry about when it comes to your home and possessions that you've worked so hard for. Flood Insurance is an option for you and can be affordable whether you own a home, a business or you are renting.

Knowing what your flood risk may be is important in determining whether you are in a High Risk Zone or a Low-to-Moderate Risk Zone. If you live in a High Risk Zone your home or business would be more likely to be effected by a flood. In a Low-to-Moderate Risk Zone your chances of being effected by a flood are lower. Even if you don’t live in a High Risk Zone, I think it's important to know that The National Flood Insurance Program states that 25% of flood insurance claims come from those in Low-to-moderate Risk Zones.

Do you need to be concerned about flood damage if you already have Homeowners Insurance?  Absolutely! Most Homeowners Insurance policies typically cover hurricanes, tornadoes and fires but flood damage is most likely not covered. Give me a call so we can get started on finding the Flood Insurance that best fits you for your home and/or business. 

Put Your Phone Down and Drive

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Wow... Is it really that big of an issue to have an entire month dedicated to distracted driving awareness? The more I think about it, yes, when I'm driving I do notice people on their phones and they are not usually talking. Smart phones have given us the ability to be up to date with ‘virtually’ everything every minute of the day and so most of us take advantage of the cyber world, driving or not. 

Recently, the Texas Department of Transportation issued a campaign called, “Talk/Text CRASH” to raise awareness of the dangers of texting and driving. The purpose for this campaign is to urge Texans to put their cell phones away and concentrate on the road. I’m sure everyone has seen the, “YOU TEXT. YOU TALK. YOU CRASH” and the, “DRIVE NOW. TALK OR TEXT LATER,” signs on the highways.  Or… maybe you've been too distracted with other things besides driving and didn't notice these signs. These signs are apart of the campaign.

TxDOT estimates that over 100,000 crashes last year were attributed to driver’s not having their complete attention on the road while driving. That’s just in Texas. While texting is not the only cause of distractions while driving, it is the easiest to detect. The National Safety Council found that there is not a safe way to use a cell phone while driving. The SMARTest thing we can do is cut out the distraction by putting your phone away and concentrate on driving.

So please, put your phones down and drive. For your safety and the safety of others, just drive! If a situation arises and you absolutely have to use your phone, pull over. With the rising numbers of accidents and deaths because of distractions while driving, don’t chance it.  Life is too precious so leave the LOL’s (laughing out loud), TBH’s (to be honest) and SMH’s (shaking my head) until you’re not driving, 4COL (for crying out loud).  There should be an automatic reply of DND (do not disturb) when you receive a text while you’re driving. I wonder if there's an app for that. 

Roadside Safety – 101

It’s never fun to have car issues and be stuck on the side of the road. No one has time for that. Seems we are all always in a hurry and being on the side of the road is never on the list and can be flat out annoying. If you do get stuck, make sure to be and stay as safe as possible. Your safety and the safety of those in the car should be your main concern.  

Here’s a few tips to help when you are up against a roadside annoyance… I mean emergency:

1. Move as far away from the road as possible.  If at all possible, look for an emergency lane, exit, rest stop or a parking lot.  You never want to pull over or stop in hard to see places like over hills, bridges, blind corners and narrow roads. If none of these are an option, at least try to get to the right shoulder and out of the flow of traffic.  

2. Turn your hazard’s on. This will help alert other drivers to move over if possible.

3. Stay in your car until you’re out of traffic. Do not get out of your car if you are stuck in traffic.  In this situation, stay in your car and wait for Roadside Assistance. (We’ll talk about that in a bit.)

4. Get out of your vehicle.  Only if the coast is clear and you can exit safely, then get out of the car. Whatever side has the least or no traffic is the side you want to pick to exit on. You are better off climbing over to the passenger side and getting out that way if there’s heavy traffic on the driver’s side.

5. Set flares out or reflective triangles. This will make you more visible to oncoming traffic. If you don’t have flares or reflective triangles, you can raise the hood of your car to indicate you are having car issue and could use some help.

6. Give Farmers Roadside Assistance a call. You can call Farmers Roadside Assistance 24/7 at 800-435-7764 and someone will be happy to get you help. It’s a good idea to put the number in your phone instead of having to track it down in an emergency situation.

7. Have an emergency supply kit in your car at all times. It’s always a good idea to be prepared. Always have a first aid kit in your car. A blanket, flashlight, snacks and some water are great things to keep on hand. Fix-a flat, tools and a spare tire could always come in handy if you blow out a tire or have a flat.

8. Stay calm. It won’t do anyone any good to panic. Stay calm and follow the steps above and all will be fine.

In a roadside emergency it is key to keep yourself and anyone in your vehicle safe. Follow these steps and you should be just fine. 

Ask and You Could Receive Lower Premiums

Several factors go into play for setting up premiums for car insurance. Your agent will need to check out your driving record, what kind of car you drive, how safe the car you drive is, your occupation… These components, and a few more, are what needs to be taken into consideration when figuring out what sort of premiums you will have.

Let’s talk about your driving record and how it can help with your premium. Good thing, if you are a safe driver, Farmers has a safe driver discount. The longer you go without any accident’s or moving violations, the lower your premium will be.

Are you looking into buying a new car? Make sure to check out the Top Safety Picks List¹.   This list will help you pinpoint those vehicles that are considered safe and could also lead to a lower premium. Vehicles that have safety features (anti-lock brakes, security system, air bags, automatic seat belts) could help with savings on your premium. Safety for your family and possible lower rates? Not a bad deal.

Teenage driver in the house? How can there possibly be a way to cut cost for that? Well, I’m glad you asked because there is! Good students can account for a policy discount.  If they live away at school, that can also bring a discount as well. You can set up a separate plan for them, but your chances to get a discount are better when you add them to the family plan.

 
Purchasing multiple polices could also result in additional discounts. Add home, multiple vehicles, an RV and you could save on premiums that way as well.  Even a life insurance policy will add to your savings.

Are you a nurse, teacher, firefighter, or a doctor? These occupations and a variety of others could also provide added discounts and bring down your premium. 

You can also choose to go with a higher deductible. Monthly premiums will be lower but it will also mean that in case of an accident, your out of pocket will be higher.

It’s always a good idea to review your insurance annually. Farmers offers a Farmers Friendly Review® where an annual reminder is sent to you, reminding you to meet with your agent to review your policy or policies and make sure your coverage is still a good fit. It also is an opportunity to check and see if there are any new discounts to offer as well.  If there is ever a life changing event, as in a marriage or sending a child off to college, please do not hesitate to call and we can set an appointment to review your insurance at that time as well.

¹ Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Top Safety Picks. The Institute rates vehicles good, acceptable, marginal, or poor based on performance in high-speed front and side crash tests plus evaluations of seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries in rear impacts.