Heuer Insurance Agency Blog

Loaning out your car…

aheuer — Tue, 01 May 2012 23:26:01 +0000

One of the most commonly asked questions from my office, is “if I let so and so borrow my car, are they covered?” A better question really is, if you loan your car, are YOU covered. Although the answer to both of these questions is yes, let me elaborate. A simple concept to remember is this…”if you loan your car, you are loaning your insurance, AS WELL as your financial statement! Sound scary? It is, and therefore you should take extreme caution when loaning a vehicle. If you loan your car, and the driver gets in an accident, YOU and YOUR insurance policy will most likely be called upon to respond., including responding to a lawsuit! If you don’t have enough liability insurance, YOU could face bankruptcy and a host of out of pocket expenses. Is the driver covered? The most common answer is yes, although some policies in some states put YOUR insurance policy in a secondary position, but either way, YOU and YOUR car insurance will be the ultimate responsible party!

Still wanna loan that car to someone?? There is way more to the story than just being a nice guy and helping someone out by driving one of your cars…it could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket! Call your agent at Heuer Insurance for more car insurance tips and hints….we have your best interests at heart and we got your back! Be careful out there….Go Giants

The Electrifying Truth About Extension Cords

aheuer — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 12:00:52 +0000

We all have ‘em. We all use ‘em…particularly during the holiday season. In fact, over 70% of Americans will use at least one extension cord when decorating their homes this year. Some will use many more than that. If not careful, your home could potentially become a deadly web of tangled electrical cords and a serious fire hazard.
Each year, approximately 3,300 home fires are caused by the improper use of extension cords leading to roughly 50 deaths, 270 injuries and extensive property damage. Fire is not the only concern. Over 4,000 people each year are treated in emergency rooms for fractures, lacerations and electrical burns from unsafe extension cord use. As you will see, there is much to learn about the safe handling and usage of extension cords.
Check Before You Connect
Before choosing an extension cord, you must ensure that it is safe and suitable for the task at hand. First, determine whether the cord has been certified by a reputable testing laboratory, such as UL, CSA or ETL. Be certain to read the manufacturer’s instructions and verify it has capacity to handle the electric current for the device it is connected to. For example, heavy-duty extension cords must be used when powering air conditioners, freezers and other high-wattage appliances. Never use extension cords outside if they are rated for inside use only.
Here are some general pointers for safely using extension cords during the holidays and well beyond the New Year.
Extension Cord Safety Tips
 Inspect extension cords every time you use them for any signs of damage, including any cuts, cracks, frays or exposed wires.
 Never try to repair damaged extension cords. Discard immediately!
 Keep extension cords clear of all walkways, doorways and other high-traffic areas.
 Never staple or nail electrical cords to walls or baseboards.
 Never run extension cords through walls or ceilings, nor under doors, windows or furniture.
 Do not dangle extension cords from tabletops or counters.
 Check electrical cords regularly when being used to ensure they do not feel hot.
 Do not connect multiple extension cords together.
 Make sure the extension cord is not coiled or looped when in use.
 Never alter the prongs of a plug to fit into an outlet.
 Always disconnect cords from outlets by pulling on the plug, not the cord itself.
 Instruct children to stay away from extension cords, plugs and outlets.
Remember to use extension cords on a short-term basis only and never as a permanent solution for your electrical needs.

Happy 1st Day of Spring

aheuer — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:35:21 +0000

It’s Gardening Tool Check-Up Time
In most areas of the country, gardeners take a break in winter, or at least have less to manage. Some people welcome this time of year as a pleasant reprieve, while others pine away for spring’s first blossom. Now is the perfect time to review your supplies and determine if you have a well-used tool or two that may need to be repaired or replaced. Or, maybe there’s a gardening gizmo you wished you had last season? Guess what? It may be on sale in winter! So get out there and check your stock.
Inspect Your Inventory
Wear appropriate protective gear, such as gloves, goggles and steel-toed boots when taking your inventory! Even though you are not up to your elbows in dirt, you are still at risk of getting cut, scraped, pierced, or pinched. As you tally your tools, look them over closely to ensure all are in good condition. Inspect handles for cracks or cuts, or damage that might create a dangerous situation later. Shovel and rake heads should be securely attached to the handle and in good repair. Be sure cutting tools, like pruning shears, are oiled and sharpened once a year.
Can You Dig It?
We all agree you can’t do much serious gardening without a shovel. Ideally, you should have at least two different sizes on hand. First, a heavy-duty, long-handled spade shovel allows you to firmly step down on it for more difficult digs. Second, a long-handled shovel with a smaller, pointy tip lets you execute more precision-style digging. Of course, you must arm yourself with a good, sturdy hand trowel, too.
A Tale of Two Rakes
Make sure you have at least a couple rakes at the ready. You’ll need a garden rake for breaking up the soil and a lawn rake for leaves and debris. Did you know there are two types of lawn rakes? There’s a straight-edge style used for gathering up the heavy stuff, like sticks and stones. Then you have a sweep rake which works like a broom by getting smaller debris out of your way. It has been said that “a bad gardener quarrels with his rake’” so make nice with yours by keeping it in good condition.
Basic Garden Necessities
This list covers the most common tools for the average home gardener. If you’re planting a big vegetable garden or completely re-landscaping your home, you’ll need additional tools. Visit your local hardware or garden supply store and ask for assistance.
 Gardening gloves
 Goggles or other eye protection
 Steel-toed shoes or boots
 Lawnmower
 Hoe
 Pruning shears
 Edger
 Pruning saw
 Watering can
 Stakes
 Water hose

Heuer Insurance Referral Program, Enter to WIN a $200 Gift Card

aheuer — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 04:03:29 +0000

Well it looks like Winter has FINALLY arrived in the Northern Nevada area! That snow we seeing flying out there is welcome indeed, as our whole area needs the water storage if we are to have green lawns and enough water in the lakes for fishing and boating.

I would like to announce in this email, the Heuer Insurance Referral Program. ANYTIME you refer one of your friends, family members or neighbors to our office for a quote, your name will be entered into our quarterly drawing for a $200 Visa Gift Card, compliments of your hard working insurance agents at HIA! Enter as often as you like!

Watch your mail for correspondence from HIA, and specifically look for a short pink piece of paper that you can fill out for the drawing. Since you are one of our many clients that have agreed to let us correspond with you via email, all YOU have to do is to RESPOND to this email, and on the subject line, put REFERRAL on it, listing the contact information of anyone you think will value our services and advice……and that will get you entered into the drawing. There is no limit to the number of times you can enter the drawing.

We appreciate and value you and your business, and intend to be here for you and your family…forever!

Good luck and thanks for your loyalty!

Safety in the Workplace

aheuer — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:59:27 +0000

How to Conduct a Workplace Safety Inspection
The importance of maintaining a safe workplace is imperative for every business. By helping to ensure safety, you not only prevent employees and visitors from potentially devastating injuries, you can also increase productivity when workers feel safe and comfortable in their environment. Plus, you avoid expensive worker’s compensation issues and costly lawsuits.
How do you plan a workplace safety inspection? The best way to start is to generally assess your workplace. Think about flooring first. Slip and fall accidents are one of the most common workplace injuries and most would have been easily avoided if safety precautions had been taken.
Then consider all wiring and electrical features of your location. Bring in a professional electrician to conduct an electrical safety inspection as a best-practice measure.
Air quality is important, too. It might be time to replace filters, faulty vents or ducts on heating and cooling systems. Or, you may need to provide additional ventilation if certain chemicals are used regularly.
Are dangerous substances properly stored? Are emergency exits clearly marked? Do you have proper first aid supplies on hand and accessible to everyone? Take notes as you walk through your space.
Determine if you have adequate lighting in all workspaces, especially where eyestrain is an issue, as well as in hallways, stairwells, restrooms, basements, attics, and storage areas. Ensure there is plenty of illumination outside your building, particularly in the parking lot and garage. This helps prevent accidents and discourages criminal activity.
The best office safety inspection checklist will be one you customize based on your unique workplace.

Vehicle Emergency Kits

aheuer — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:26:29 +0000

Greetings customers, family and friends….

This month’s blog is all about winter vehicle emergency kits and how easy they are to construct and have on hand. Nevada hasn’t seen its fair share of snow this year, but we all know, that just means that its right around the corner, and when it does hit, it’s going to hit with a vengeance, so prepare now!

Assembling a winter vehicle emergency kit is not as difficult as you may think. You can also find a preassembled kit as most local hardware stores and auto part stores. Building your own is as simple as gathering as many of the following supplies as you can, and keep them in a box in the trunk of your car.

Basic Kit
1) Flashlight and extra batteries
2) Battery powered radio
3) First aid kit
4) Blankets, gloves and hats
5) Water and snacks
6) Shovel
7) Windshield de-icer
8 ) Jumper cables and road flares
9) Tow strap or chain

If you had room, you could even go a little further in your preparedness and add a few advanced items….

10) tire chains
11) kitty litter for traction on ice
12) sleeping bag and goggles
13) compass and emergency whistle
14) waterproof matches and a camp stove

The list can be endless, but depending on where you live, or what your travel plans are, you can custom make whatever would fit your family and your vehicle best. Trust me…if you find yourself needing any ONE of these things, you will be glad you had it and you will wish you had put more supplies in the car.

Good luck, stay safe, and call us at HIA if you have any other suggestions that we can pass on…..thanks for your business, we definitely do appreciate you guys….

Happy New Year From HIA!

aheuer — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:36:19 +0000

Welcome back to the Heuer Insurance Blog. By now I
hope you are well fed, received all the gifts you wanted, have few or none to
return, and look forward to a new year as much as we
are! The holidays were great, seeing family was fabulous, and
most of us survived the holiday season no worse for the wear, but now it’s time
to get back to normal, and the purpose of this month’s blog is on how to
protect yourself from an untimely lawsuit and its consequences.

Many of my clients at HIA have realized the value, and since
purchased a Personal Umbrella Policy. (PUP) These incredibly important
insurance policies are one of the easiest to buy, and a very affordable
rate…almost always just a couple of hundred dollars. If you are one of
the few that haven’t purchased this important coverage, let me give you a
couple of examples of where we have seen PUP coverage come into play….

a) An insured bicyclist collided on a hill with another bicyclist and both were
injured seriously resulting in a covered payment of $200.000

b) An insured customer lost control of their vehicle and caused TWO fatalities
resulting in a payment of $1,000,000

c) A swing set broke at a party for kids and injured a guest resulting in a payment
of $1,000,000

d) An insured customer was involved in an auto accident that paralyzed a passenger
resulting in a payment of $1,000,000

For as little as $10 per month, you can gain extended
liability coverage to protect yourself and your family. An Umbrella
policy (PUP) is a smart and cost effective way to protect your home,
automobile, assets and future earnings…..think about it!

Please call me personally, or any one of our agents at Heuer
Insurance Agency and they can tell you exactly what a PUP would cost you!

Happy New Year

Happy Holidays From Heuer Insurance!

aheuer — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:37:45 +0000

Heuer Insurance Christmas Party 2011

Merry Christmas to the finest customers in the world!! I hope my staff NEVER forgets to say “Thank You for your business!”, and at this difficult time in Nevada’s economy, we need and value each and every one of you! I know you have options as to where to buy your insurance……so thank you for buying it from locally owned Independent Insurance agents! By the way, have you seen all the advertising lately on TV touting TRUSTED CHOICE? We are extremely proud to be a member of TRUSTED CHOICE! Call or email me for some more information on this ad…but the independent agents are all about giving you, the buying public, CHOICES in your insurance program.
Reno just suffered its worst urban fire in the history of the City, and there are lessons to be learned from that fire, especially during the Christmas season….here are a couple of quick tips.
a) Buy good quality trees that don’t show signs of drying out yet. Have the tree yard cut the bottom of the tree up by about 3 inches to give it a good fresh place to drink water. Daily watering is the very best way to keep a tree safe during the long holiday season. I have a hilarious story of an invention I once tried that had to do with a beer bong and watering a tree. Nuff said unless you really want the funny details…
b) Be careful while you are Christmas shopping. Parking lots can be iced over presenting a trip and fall exposure, bad guys can be hanging out in the parking lot waiting for you to stash some gifts before going back in the store. Make sure you park in a well lit area, and try your best not to leave unattended presents or property in your car, even if its locked up.
c) Use extra caution when using credit cards online or even while sweeping at an ATM! This may be the holiday season, but the bad guys out number Santa and his elves by 10-1 so be careful out there! WE need you!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from your friends and agents at Heuer Insurance Agency. And above all, God Bless the USA and the Men and Women in its fighting forces…Freedom isn’t free, and we wouldn’t be free without them. Remember them during these tough times……

How to inventory after a loss…

aheuer — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:15:03 +0000

Welcome back. Ever wonder how you would provide proof to your insurance company that you really did have all the personal property items that you claimed to have before a total loss?? Can you imagine the stress involved with trying to prove all those items?? Let me give you a long time piece of advice….first of all, if you have any collectibles, or high valued articles like guns, jewelry, fine arts etc, you should call your agent at Heuer Insurance Agency. Second, either buy a disposable camera, or in today’s world and technology most of us have smart phones that can act like a camera, or even use a video camera, but either way, it is a fantastic idea BEFORE a loss, to photograph the inside of your house! In the perfect world you would have a complete inventory, and keep receipts off premises, but for most of us, that means a difficult task and one that is easily put off till too late! Instead of that hassle, HIA suggests you stand in the middle of room, and take pictures of all 4 sides of the room. Do this for each and every room, and in the perfect world, keep that film, or camera, or pictures off premises, like a safety deposit box. That way if you ever have to sit with an adjuster and describe what you have lost, you don’t have to worry that you might not have the documentation needed to prove the loss! It’s simple, cheap and thorough. This is the easiest way to substantiate what you had in your house and believe me, you will be VERY happy you took the time to do this. Call one of my highly trained, very respected licensed insurance agents to discuss your needs and concerns. This is one of those things that it’s never too late to start, so get started today! Good luck and thanks for your business……
Also, dont forget to “LIKE” our facebook www.facebook.com/heuerinsuranceagency

Does your auto insurance cover you while renting a car???

aheuer — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 23:52:20 +0000

This month let’s talk about a very common question often posed to my staff, from our clients that are traveling or find themselves in need of renting a car for a few days or more. Many of our clients ask…”do I need to buy that rental car damage waiver when I rent a car?” By far, the safest answer is a resounding YES! Here are the top 5 reasons to purchase the Collision Damage Waiver option….

1) Loss Valuation..the value of a rental car is determined solely at the discretion of the rental company and may be totally different that the ACV or actual cash value your auto policy is based upon! The rental car companies agreement may very well contractually obligate the client to pay for more than your insurance will pay, and often those agreements are completely lopsided and unfair.
2) Loss Payment…The rental agreement usually requires full payment at the time of a loss, and since your insurance company doesn’t ride in the backseat, they can’t be there fast enough to inspect the loss, and get you to the airport in time. That won’t make for a good family vacation or successful business trip.
3) Excessive charges….Rental car companies can charge you whatever they want, and if you can’t combat their argument with enough facts and figures to catch that airplane, you might have to put the entire amount of the damage on your Credit Card until such time your insurance company can follow their contract and start dealing with the rental car company, which again can sure put the crunch on available credit cards while traveling.
4) Loss of use charges…..since the rental car company charges for use of that rental car, any loss of use due to damage will be the responsibility of the driver too! These charges can often times be nothing short of ridiculous, but again, they aren’t regulated by any governmental agency so you find yourself a little fish in a big pond. Not a comfortable place to go for a swim indeed!
5) Excluded uses and drivers….Your personal auto policy may have limitations on use and driver, and if those same uses and those same drivers are NOT covered under your car insurance policy, then you are really gonna have some issues if you ask your insurance company to get involved in a rental car loss, especially if you are not the sole driver and the named insured on your car insurance contract!

End result is, it is the recommendation of every agent at Heuer Insurance Agency, that you purchase the rental car companies CDW each and every time you rent a car! Its your best chance, to have a safe and successful trip when you have to rent a car. Good luck, travel safe, and if you have any questions, I invite you to call your agent, or me personally, at 775 358 5554. See you next time…..Larry Heuer

Larry