The shipwreck of the Costa Concordia the cruise ship that wrecked off the Tuscany coast after running aground certainly dominated TV and online news,  It would have been difficult to miss a view of the shocking scenes of that cruise ship on its side in the water.

Actually, the reality this incident has found its way to our own neighborhood.  News reports indicated that 126 Americans were aboard, and all looking forward to a great cruise experience.  Local and national news outlets including CBS Baltimore reported that a Maryland woman, Anna Figueredo, and her daughter were among those passengers and that they were two of the last to reach a lifeboat.  Now safely back home in Silver Spring, MD, Anna and her daughter are glad to have survived. Although their trip won't soon be forgotten, it's regrettable that it does not hold the fond memories they had hoped for.

Maritime commerce and pastimes are a part of the culture, here in midAtlantic U.S.  The use of all the miles of coastline and waterways is pivotal for our commercial and recreational survival.  So seeing that disabled Italian cruise ship should emphasize the risks of boating accidents, regardless of the size of the vessel – from giant cruise ship to small fishing craft or pleasure boat. 

In our local waters, running aground is certainly a risk.  There are many causes -- one of which is the build-up of silt, sand and stone (often called shoaling) and often caused by storms and resultant heavy currents. However, the Insurance Information Institute (III) reports that there are thousands of recreational boating accidents per year with other contributing factors ranging from lack of experience, ignoring boating regulations, traveling too fast for water or weather conditions, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, to name a few.

While the recreational boating season might be months away, it will be here before you know it.  Why not prepare now to have your boat ready when the season arrives?  The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary offers free advice and boating safety courses. In fact, just for the asking, the auxiliary will perform a full Courtesy Marine Examination (CME) of your vessel, They award a CME decal “Seal of Safety” to all boats that meet the standards.  Learn more about the CME.

Have you checked your boat insurance coverage recently?  If not, perhaps it’s time to sit down with one of our experienced agents who can help you determine whether you have the proper coverage and are receiving the best rates possible.  Just contact us at your convenience to discuss your boating insurance.

Find out more about Boat Insurance

Get a boat insurance quote

Request a no-obligation policy review

Frozen Pipes can be a winter hazard for your home.

Here on the east coast as well as throughout the U.S., we all know that weather in the wintertime can cause hazards for your home. Have you wonsered whether the results of such cold weather perils as freezing temperatures would be covered by your homeowners insurance?  

When temperatures plummet below freezing, the threat of freezing pipes becomes quite real.  In fact, occasionally, frozen pipes can even burst.  Although typically, frozen pipe damage will be covered by homeowners insurance, you can and should prevent such damage from occurring in the first place. Would you know what to do to protect the pipes in your home?  Moreover, should freezing occur, would you know how to thaw them and how to repair any damage?

Want more details?  See Prevent Frozen PipesThis Winter.

Not sure whether your homeowners insurance would cover damage from frozen pipes?  Why not contact our office for a free, no-obligation review of your policy to be sure of your coverage?

 

One of the most important concerns of a typical car shopper is the safety of the vehicle, and you probably feel the same way.  While we all know that each new vehicle must meet certain federal safety standards, it's also true that not all cars are rated the same in the safety department. 

It also does not mean that insurance companies give all vehicles the same rating, thus your insurance policy premiums will vary by the make and model the of car you select.  Your car's safety rating impacts  your insurance rate, and each car model’s insurance loss experience is different.  Visit the Highway Loss Data Institute online to see a list of insurance losses by make and model to see the experience rating for the vehicles you are considering as you decide on a new car.

So if you are in the market for a new vehicle, the following safety features will be important: 

Crashworthiness

Compare the rating of crashworthiness forthose automobiles that interest you when you visit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Don't forget to check out the current year’s Top Safety Picks while visiting the site.  There you will find a list of the safest vehicles according to their performance in the IIHS crash studies. Perhaps surprisingly, you’ll find that more smaller vehicles ranked well on the list than ever before.

Vehicle structural design

For the safety of the passengers, a car must have a strong “safety cage” (the interior compartment where occupants are seated). Otherwise, it cannot withstand forces from the roof and both sides as well as the back and front.  Moreover, both the front and rear of the vehicle must be designs so that it absorbs the crash impact, deflecting the forces away from the safety cage.  Find out how these strengths are tested by the IIHS.

Vehicle size and weight

The laws of physics dictate that larger and heavier cars are safer than lighter and smaller ones.  In fact, David Zuby, chief research officer at IIHS, points out that the laws of physics dictate that larger and heavier cars are safer than lighter and smaller ones. Thus, passengers in smaller, lighter vehicles are. By comparison,  not as well protected as those in larger, heavier models.   In a crash involving a smaller and a larger vehicle, the larger (thus heavier) vehicle will drive the lighter one backwards. This action causes the forces inside the heavier car to be less while that inside the lighter car is greater. While this is generally true, small cars are becoming more crashworthy each year; and, in 2012, 8 of the 13 models tested made the list of Top Safety Picks.

Restraint Systems

Seatbelts, head restraints and airbags work as a system with the structure of a vehicle to protect its occupants if a crash occurs. Shoulder belts allow upper body movement during normal driving but will lock on impact or during hard braking. Lap/shoulder belts work together with airbags very effectively.. Side airbags are designed principally to protect your upper body, and may also prevent your head from hitting interior structures. Head restraints are required to be installed on the front seats of all new passenger cars to prevent your head from snapping backwards in a rear-end crash.

Anti-lock Brakes

Anti-lock brakes pump brakes automatically many times a second to prevent the lockup and loss of control that occurs when braking hard with conventional brakes.

Daytime running lights

These lights can prevent daytime accidents by making the vehicle more visible to oncoming driver.

If you are in the market for a new car, consider sitting down with your insurance agent to discuss how your favorite makes and models might impact the insurance rates you’ll pay before you sign that purchase agreement at the dealership.

Here at Craig Mader Insurance Agency, we have the experience to help you explore your auto insurance options at your convenience.  Why not contact us today?

Learn More About Auto Insurance

Request an Auto Insurance Quote

Arrange for a no-obligation Insurance Policy Review

 

Sources:  Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS); Insurance Information Institute (III)

 

It is time once again to “fall back” – to end Daylight Savings Time and return to standard time.  Likewise, it's a perfect time to remember to change the batteries in your smoke alarms.  Here at the Craig Mader Insurance Agency, we're all about safety.  So we encourage you to get into the habit of changing all your smoke alarm batteries either at the end or the beginning of Daylight Savings Time to keep your family safe, protect your home from fire and smoke damage and help you to avoid homeowners insurance claims.

The value of having reliable smoke alarms in our home is well known. However, having smoke alarms is not enough. A good fire safety plan demands that the smoke alarms are actually working.  Adopting the habit of quickly checking your smoke detectors each month will ensure that they are working properly, and changing the batteries at least once a year will ensure that their batteries are fresh and strong. 

Is it Possible that Your Smoke Alarms Might Stop Working

Smoke alarms can failt to function if they are too old and they outlive their usefulness, especially if they are more than 10 years old. However, more commonly, these alarms don't work because their battery is dead or missing or because the smoke alarm has been disconnected.  In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) warns that almost two-thirds of home fire deaths in 2005-2009 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or non-working smoke alarms.

Don't Rely on the Smoke Alarm to Remind You

You might be inclined to just wait until the smoke alarm beeping alerts you that your smoke alarm batteries need to be replaced.  That's a bad idea for many reasons such as…

• You might miss the beeping alert if you are not at home during time from when the beeping alert begins until your smoke alarm batteries go totally dead, so you would then not be aware that they are not working. This leaves your family and your home dangerously unprotected against fire.
• If you don't have replacement smoke alarm batteries ready when the beeping alert occurs, you might be tempted to stop the beeping by removing the batteries or disconnecting your smoke alarm and then forgetting to follow-up. Of course, this decreases your protection from a fire until you get your smoke alarm working again.

Replacing Smoke Alarm Batteries

• If your are getting frequent nuisance alarms, then it’s time to replace the entire smoke alarm unit. Don’t be tempted to just disconnect the battery to stop the nuisance alarms.
• Almost all smoke alarms batteries should be replaced each year, including those in hard-wired smoke alarms with battery backup. The only exceptions are hard-wired smoke alarms without a battery backup and smoke alarms that have a 10-year battery that cannot be replaced. In the latter case, you would replace the complete smoke alarm every 10 years.
• When you do change the batteries, be sure to install the correct type of replacement battery as recommended in the manual or label on your smoke alarm, and follow all directions. It's best to avoid using rechargeable batteries in your smoke alarm because smoke alarm manufacturers advise against them.
• Remember to change the batteries in your carbon monoxide alarm at the same time that you change your smoke alarm batteries.
• Be sure to remove any dust and clean your smoke alarm at the time that you change the batteries each year.
   
• More About Home Smoke Alarms from the NFPA (Video) 
• Smoke Alarms: Installation and Maintenance Tips
• Smoke Alarm Types: Ionization vs. Photoelectric