Free Home Inventory Software.

With Thanksgiving now past its time to prepare for winter.

Did you know that January is National "Get Organized" month? Don't be a turkey, its time to get organized.

If one of your New Year's resolutions was to get organized why not start with a home inventory?
Now that the cork's officially been popped on holiday festivities, millions of Americans are eager to get a head start on all those well-intentioned resolutions they made. Getting organized is often one of the top five goals people aspire to at the start of a new year.
For those who are looking for a more orderly 2009, making a comprehensive home inventory is a vital first step. If you already have a home inventory, the New Year is a great reason to update - especially since many families recently received expensive new Holiday gifts. The home inventory can be a vital tool in the event disaster strikes, such as fire or theft.
Tornadoes, hail, fire and theft can impact area homeowners without any notice and with devastating consequences. An accurate and up-to-date home inventory can not only help you organize your home right now, but also help make the recovery process easier on you and your family should disaster strike.

Six Steps to a Home Inventory

•1. Whenever possible, make sure your home inventory list includes photographs or videotape of belongings. If you have a home video camera, take periodic videos of each room in your house. Focus on individual items in each room. Take additional video of smaller items like jewelry, silver, and related valuables or keepsakes. The same recommendations apply if you're using a conventional camera. Be sure to be thorough when taking pictures of your belongings.

•2. Include with any picture or video home inventory list, a detailed, written account of what you own. Be specific in your written inventory. Whenever possible include make, model, serial numbers, receipts and date of purchase for all items in your home inventory.

•3. If you don't have pictures, a written home inventory list is better than no inventory, but make sure you are as detailed as possible.

•4. Store your home inventory list somewhere away from your home. If you have a bank safety deposit box, keep your list there. If you don't have a safety deposit box, ask a friend or relative to keep your inventory list in a safe place. Lists and information in an electronic format can also be emailed to trusted friends or relatives for safekeeping. Allstate recommends, wherever you store your home inventory list, make sure the location is far enough away from your home it won't be lost in the same event that may destroy your house. However, make sure your home inventory list is kept close enough so that it is easily accessible to you when you need it.

•5. Be sure to update your home inventory after any major purchase or gift. You should be updating your home inventory periodically anyway, but make special effort to do so after any major purchase, holidays, or birthdays.

•6. If time permits, share your home inventory with your insurance agent so that he or she can help you decide if your coverage meets your needs.

I can tell you first hand that having a home inventory can save you quite a bit of work should you experience a loss. I have worked with clients who have lost everything and the process of trying to reconstruct what possessions you have accumulated over many years is very difficult? Do you know how many shoes, screwdrivers and Christmas ornaments you have?
If you aren't ready to itemize everything I also suggest walking thru your house with a video camera and tape everything. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure so why not get organized today.

So where is the free home inventory software? Here you go... If you would like to learn more please drop me a note at deanakey@allstate.com or give me a call at 877-232-9899.

Winterize Your Home & Save...

Many winter-related disasters can be prevented if you take a few simple steps to protect your home from freezing temperatures, snow and wind. With the weather still mild, autumn is the perfect time to winter-proof your home, says the Insurance Information Institute.Standard homeowners policies cover winter-related disasters such as burst pipes, ice dams, and wind damage caused by weight of ice or snow, as well as fire-related losses. Coverage for flooding is available from the National Flood Insurance Program, but can be purchased through your insurance agent or of course, me. Winter-related damage to cars is generally covered under the comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy.You may be surprised to know that over 10 percent of all catastrophic losses are the result of winter storms and the average homeowners claim for water damage and freezing is $3,098.To prepare for winter, I have put several tips together for you.

Outside your home
Clean out gutters. Remove leaves, sticks and other debris from gutters, so melting snow and ice can flow freely. This can prevent ice damming - a condition where water is unable to drain through the gutters and instead seeps into the house causing water to drip from the ceiling and walls.

Install gutter guards. Available in most hardware and home stores, "gutter guards" prevent debris from entering the gutter and interfering with the flow of water away from the house and into the ground.

Trim trees and remove dead branches. Ice, snow and wind could cause weak trees or branches to break - damaging your home or car, as well as injuring someone walking on your property.
Repair steps and handrails. This may prevent someone from falling and seriously being injured. Broken stairs and banisters can become lethal when covered with snow and ice.
Seal cracks in holes in outside walls and foundations. Use caulking to protect water pipes and make sure that skylights and other roof openings have proper weather stripping to prevent snowmelt from seeping in.

Inside your home
Keep the house warm. Set the thermostat for at least 65 degrees, since the temperature inside the walls, where the pipes are located, is substantially colder - a lower temperature will not keep the pipes from freezing.

Add extra insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. If too much heat escapes through the attic, it can cause snow or ice to melt on the roof. Water can then re-freeze, causing more snow and ice to build up. This can result in a collapsed roof, and can contribute to ice damming. Ideally, the attic should be five to ten degrees warmer than the outside air. Well-insulated basements and crawl spaces will also help protect pipes from freezing. You may also consider insulating unfinished rooms such as garages to keep pipes from freezing.
Have the heating system serviced. Furnaces, boilers and chimneys should be serviced at least once a year to prevent fire and smoke damage.

Check pipes. Look closely for cracks and leaks and have the pipes repaired immediately. Wrap exposed pipes with heating tape.
Install an emergency pressure release valve in your plumbing system. This will protect them against increased pressures caused by freezing pipes and can help prevent your pipes from bursting.

Make sure that smoke and fire alarms are working properly. Residential fires increase in the winter, so it is important to protect your family with working alarm systems. Also, consider installing a carbon dioxide detector, since a well sealed home can trap this toxic gas.
Learn how to shut the water off and know where your pipes are located. If your pipes freeze, time is of the essence. The quicker you can shut off the water or direct your plumber to the problem, the better chance you have to prevent pipes from bursting.
Hire a licensed contractor to look for structural damage. If damage is discovered, have it repaired now rather than waiting for a problem to occur. Also, ask about ways to prevent water damage due to snow-related flooding. Plastic coatings for internal basement walls, sump pumps and other methods can prevent flood damage to your home and belongings.

If you are going to be away for an extended period, take special care. Turn the water off and/or have the water system drained by a professional to keep pipes from freezing or bursting. Also, hire someone to check your home on a regular basis. If there is a problem, it can be fixed quickly - lessening any damage. Activity at your home will also reduce the likelihood that it will be burglarized.

As an insurance guy, I see these types of claims every day. If you take a little extra precaution you can prevent many of these winter related issues. Wouldn't you rather be making snowmen this winter?
That's all I have to say about that.
Bull

Winter Driving Tips

With snow and colder temperatures on the way, I thought you may enjoy the following safety tips for driving in extreme winter weather conditions.
1. Reduce your speed
Snow and ice greatly increase the stopping distance for all vehicles. Even four-wheel drive vehicles need to adjust to hazardous road conditions. Not knowing when you are about to encounter black ice, the best driving advice to those that must be on the road is, slow down.
2. Maintain your car and check that the:
Tires don't show excessive signs of wear
Battery is fully charged
Wipers are working and windshield fluid is full
Cooling system is in good working condition
3. Prepare for the unexpected and carry:
A flashlight
Jumper cables
Blankets
First-aid kit
A shovel
A cellular telephone
Additionally, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that the following steps be taken when a vehicle stalls:
Stay with the car
Put a bright marker on the antenna or in the windows
Clear the exhaust pipe, if you can run your car
Run your car just long enough to remove the chill
That's all I have to say about that. Drive safe.
Bull