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How To Make Your Vacation Safe

July 24, 2021

Vacation Tips From Brooks Insurance

As the summer vacation season is in full swing thoughts turn to fun in the sun, getting on an airplane or even camping. Remember your homeowners insurance will cover your personal property while on vacation. If you plan on traveling to a foreign country, call our office for an insurance review.

Don’t post on social media until you return.

Let a trusted neighbor know you will be away and have them keep an eye on your home. It is a good idea to leave your vacation address and telephone number with a neighbor so you can be reached in case of an emergency.

Be aware of any travel and health alerts at your destination

Write out a schedule and give it to a family member for safety purposes.

Make copies of all of your credit cards, important identification information, including your medical insurance cards, and your traveler's checks.

Look for deals. You can find websites all over the internet that can help you score deals on hotels, amusement park tickets, airline travel and so on. Make sure you look for bargains after you set the budget.

Put inside and outside lights on timers.

Advise your alarm company and local police if you will be gone for an extended period.

Stop the paper and garbage service.

Don’t take expensive jewelry with you. Jewelry can get lost or be a target for thieves.

Never put your home address on your luggage tags. Write your phone number instead.

If you are traveling to a foreign country remember to study up on laws and customs. You will have a much better time if you understand the culture.

Make sure all electrical appliances are turned off.

Before you leave for vacation, you may decide to close your curtains to prevent people from peering inside your home to see whether you're there. However, closed curtains also stop those who aim to help the police, your neighbors or friends from seeing inside your house

All of us at Brooks Insurance hope you are able to get away, and if not, have fun anyway!

How To Reduce Your Business Insurance Cost

July 20, 2021

Saving money on business insurance is not always an easy thing many companies to do. You have many options regarding insurance agents and insurance companies that at times can be confusing. We specialized in the entertainment industry that is all we do. We have a proven track record of providing the right combination of pricing and coverage, along with experience and responsive service.

There are a number of ways to reduce your business insurance cost without jeopardizing coverage. Here are a few:

Use a broker who knows and understands your industry. Having an understanding of the risks, and what markets best are suited for your risks, can result in lower costs. Have us shop your insurance. We have access to many insurers, this allow us to offer many options.
Provide driver’s training- having educated and trained drivers can reduce your business auto insurance cost up to 5%.
Have proper safety equipment.
Use special markets. There are insurers that specialize in your industry. .
Increase deductibles. Insurers often will provide good credits if you increase your deductibles on property or auto physical damage.
Reduce your risk, Talk with your insurance agent about how you can help prevent insurance losses. You may be able to reduce your exposure to fires, work-related accidents, disasters or lawsuits. Reducing these risks may lead to fewer claims, which may lower your insurance premium.
Keep up to date with current liability trends; liability claims tend to be the most significant claim with most aspects of insurance.

Having insurance premiums reduced by cutting corners is not the ideal way to deal with high insurance premiums. That’s a case of addressing the symptom – not the problem. Lowering premiums by reducing the risks posed and faced by your business is a far healthier solution.

Are You Insured Correctly?

July 8, 2021

Your home will be one of the most significant investments you will ever make, both economically and emotionally. Your family will spend countless hours there, among some of your most prized possessions. In the event of any misfortune, let us give you peace of mind knowing that you are well protected.

Replacement Cost Coverage
You can ensure your home and belongings for replacement cost, which pays the actual cost of replacing your home or possessions (no deduction for depreciation) up to the limit of your policy.
Suppose, for example, a fire destroys a 10-year-old TV set in your living room. If you have a replacement cost policy for the contents of your home, the insurance company will pay to replace the TV set with a new one. If you have an actual cash value policy, it will pay only a percentage of the cost of a new TV set.

Insuring expensive items with floaters/endorsements
There may be limits on how much coverage you get for expensive items such as jewelry, silverware and furs. Generally, there is a limit on jewelry from $1,000 to $2,000. You should ask your agent or look it up in your policy.
If the limits are too low, consider buying a special personal property floater or an endorsement. These allow you to insure these items individually or as a collection.

Additional living expenses after a disaster
This is a very important feature of a standard homeowner’s insurance policy. This pays the additional costs of temporarily living away from your home if you can't live in it due to a fire, severe storm, or other insured disaster. It covers hotel bills, restaurant meals, and other living expenses incurred while your home is being rebuilt.

You should talk to your agent or company to make sure you know exactly how much coverage you have and how long the coverage will be in effect. In most cases, you can increase this coverage for an additional premium.
Brooks Insurance is committed to providing clients with the highest quality insurance plans available combined with some of the lowest possible rates. Whether you are shopping for auto insurance, home insurance, life or business insurance, we can help you obtain the best coverage available at the lowest rate possible.

All of us at Brooks Insurance truly value the long-term relationship with our clients, and are proud to give families, individuals and businesses the personal attention required when it matters most. When claims arise, we realize that it can be very stressful and will do everything possible to assure timely and complete recovery.

July 4th Safety Tips

June 30, 2021

We are approaching our nation's birthday, July 4th, and we hope everyone has a great day of celebration with friends and family. In 2020 over 5,800 people went to the emergency room as a result of fireworks-related injuries. There were an estimated 13,750 reported fires started by fireworks. These fires resulted in an estimated eight reported deaths, and $40 million in direct property damage. This is why it is a good idea to have a free home insurance review and quote, call us today!

Homeowner's Insurance
If you over-celebrate and do have a loss or damage, please call our office. It is very likely that the claim would be covered under your homeowner's insurance policy.

General 4th of July safety
Be a safe swimmer. Water sports and fireworks are two of the biggest pastimes for the Fourth of July celebrations, and these are both linked to numerous deaths and injuries each year. Never swim alone, and make sure that kids' water play is adequately supervised at all times.

Be a safe boater. Never consume alcohol while driving a boat. Set water safety rules for your family and passengers.

Use alcohol responsibly. Alcohol and fireworks can be a hazardous and dangerous combination.

Use sunscreen. At the start of summer, skin is especially tender, so use a high SPF.

Keep alert for local weather conditions. Check to see if any warning signs or flags are posted.

Remember your pet. They are not used to all the fireworks, so keep them inside.

Grill safely. Before you use your grill, make sure all hoses are secure and leak-free. Never grill inside. Keep grill away for al structures.

Fireworks Safety

Never try to make your own fireworks.
Light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from the house, dry leaves, and flammable materials.
Only use legal store-bought fireworks.
Don't point sparklers or fireworks at yourself or others.
Make sure spectators are out of range before lighting fireworks.
Always keep matches and lighter fluid far away from fireworks.
Read labels and carefully follow directions.
Only light fireworks on the ground and in areas that are dry and fire-resistant.
Don't attempt to light multiple devices at the same time.
Never allow young children to handle fireworks or sparklers.
Teach children to "stop, drop, and roll" if their clothes catch fire.
Always keep a portable fire extinguisher close by. Also, keep a water hose or buckets of water nearby to put out fires.

Fire Up The Grill Safely

June 29, 2021

A Personal Insurance and Safety Update
In 2020, 19,400 people went to emergency rooms because of barbeque related accidents. Sixteen percent of home structure fires involving a grill were caused during ignition because something flammable was too close to the grill. Twenty percent of all reported grill fires were a result of leaks or breaks. Gas grills account for more home fires overall than do charcoal grills. Emergency rooms see the use of gasoline on a charcoal grill as the most common error associated with burn cases.
You might think you know all you need to know about barbeque safety and grilling, but here are some reminders. We want your grilling experience to be fun and safe for the entire family.

General Grilling Safety

Never barbeque inside, in a garage, on the roof, or on a second story deck.
Never leave your grill unattended.
If you are using a charcoal grill, let the lighter fluid soak into the coals a few minutes before lighting them so that any vapors have time to evaporate. When you do light the coals, stand back.
Do not use lighter fluid on hot coals.
Open the grill lid before you light it
Do not wear loose fitting clothing.
Keep an extinguisher outside or close by.
Make sure you use the grill 10 feet away from your house.
Use the grill close to a water source.
Do not let raw meat sit out too long without being chilled or cooked.
Always wash your hands before and after handling food.
Do not over-indulge in alcohol while barbecuing.

We are committed to providing clients with the highest quality insurance plans available combined with some of the lowest possible rates. Whether you are shopping for auto insurance, home insurance, life or business insurance, we can help you obtain the best coverage available with the lowest rate possible.

Brooks Insurance is committed to providing clients with the highest quality insurance plans available combined with some of the lowest possible rates. Whether you are shopping for auto insurance, home insurance, life or business insurance, we can help you obtain the best coverage available with the lowest rate possible.

All of us at Brooks Insurance truly value the long term relationship with our clients, and are proud to give families, individuals and businesses the personal attention required when it matters most. When claims arise, we realize that it can be very stressful and will do everything possible to assure timely and complete recovery.