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Tornadoes are among the most destructive forces of nature. About 1,000 of these powerful storms occur annually in the U.S.
For tornadoes and all severe weather events, now is the time to be sure you have an emergency plan in place so there is no confusion when disaster strikes. If you don’t have a plan, it is critical to develop one.
When a tornado is imminent, it’s important to stay tuned to your radio or mobile device for up-to-date information. Use a NOAA all-hazard radio that is specifically tuned to pick up warnings for your local area. This will minimize more frequent and broader warnings that may or may not apply to you. Having time to seek shelter in severe weather situations is critical.
WHAT TO DO WHEN A TORNADO THREATENS
If you are at home or in a building:
- Go to a pre-designated shelter area such as a safe room, basement, storm cellar, or the lowest building level.
- If there is no basement, go to the center of an interior room on the lowest level (closet, interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls.
- Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. Get under a sturdy table and use your arms to protect your head and neck.
- In a high-rise building, go to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible.
- Do not open windows – it is a myth that opening windows with depressurize your house. It may actually make things worse by giving wind and rain a greater chance of getting inside.
- Closing interior doors will also help to compartmentalize the structure and provide more barriers between you and the storm.
If you are driving:
- If you are driving, try to go to the closest safe shelter, but don’t try to outrun a tornado. Instead, leave the vehicle immediately for safe shelter.
- If your vehicle is hit by flying debris while you are driving, pull over and park. Stay in the car with the seatbelt on. Put your head down below the windows; cover your head with your hands and a blanket, coat or other cushion if possible.
- If you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, leave your car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands.
- Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location.
- Approach intersections with caution. Treat traffic lights at intersections as stop signs both during and after a storm.
Most people would say their car is one of the most valuable assets they own — if not the most valuable. Despite that, however, some people make it downright easy for thieves to drive off in their pride and joy.
We don’t want you walking out the door to an empty driveway or parking space, so take care to avoid these five mistakes.
1. Leave your car running... and unattended. We know it can be chilly in the mornings, and who wants to wait in a cold car while it warms up? Well, a thief certainly won't mind the chill! If your car is running, you should be in it.
2. Put valuables in plain sight. Simple enough, but we all seem to still make this mistake. You think you'll be in the store for just a second, no one will notice your smart phone charging in the cup holder. Think again!
3. Keep a spare set of keys inside the car. Law enforcement agencies say this is a great way to turn a car prowler into a car thief. They’re already breaking into your car to get a phone, or a laptop, etc. What do you think they’re going to do when they find a set of keys? They’re not going to drop them off on your porch with a nice note, that’s for sure.
4. Leave your car unsecured. The best thieves can work wonders with a window that's left open even just a crack. And even the novice thief can steal a car that's been left unlocked, with no alarm set.
5. Assume nobody would want to steal your car. Think your car is too old or too undesirable for a thief to bother? Scrap metal is worth money, so never assume that your car is safe - even if you think it's just a "junker".
Keeping thieves away helps to keep everyone’s insurance costs down, so avoiding these mistakes not only will save you hassle, it will save you money as well. So stay safe, not only on the roads, but in the parking lots as well!
This time of year we get asked a lot about jewelry insurance, I am assuming Valentine's Day might have something to do with it?
In a lot of cases you don't need a separate policy to insure your jewelry. You just need to ensure you have the right personal property coverage from your homeowners insurance or renters insurance. The coverage included in this policy is only for certain instances and set dollar amounts, so double check and know what coverage you have. Click here to learn more about insuring your jewelry.
For obvious reasons, we get asked this question a lot. So I thought it would be appropriate to revisit the subject again. As many know, Paul Paschall (PIG Agency Owner) began his career as a Farm Bureau Agent and then an Allstate Agent before finally becoming an Independent Insurance Agent.
Paul spent the first half of his insurance career being a "Captive" Agent, meaning Paul represented only one insurance company. A captive agent is restricted in their ability to truly keep the clients best interest in mind. As a captive agent you have to make every prospect that walks through your door fit into one category, regardless of their insurance needs. By representing a single insurance company you are not given the freedom to exercise different options to find the best fit for your client. Also, when the market changes as it often does in the insurance industry, you have to re-sell your company back to the client, even though it may not be the best option available to them. Paul quickly learned that as a captive agent he was only representing the insurance company and not his clients. Because of this reason, Paul decided many years ago to pursue the independent world of insurance. By becoming an Independent Agent, Paul is now able to do as he had always desired, fully represent his clients and their best interests and no longer the interests of the insurance company.
Let's break it down a little further. As an Independent Agency, Paschall Insurance Group is contracted with multiple A+ rated insurance companies. Through these companies we are able to offer a wide variety of products and services. This allows our agency the option to offer an array of choices at a much larger savings to our clients. We review multiple options for our clients and cross reference each to find the right mix of companies, coverages and rates that best meet that individual or families insurance needs. As an Independent Agency, we allow you the freedom to shop around (we even do the shopping for you) with competing insurance carriers and capture the absolute best price available in the market. So rather than you spending hours gathering quotes from various insurance companies, you can get it done with a simple phone call or visit to our office.
Paul loves working as an Independent Insurance Agent, he takes comfort in knowing he has the ability to 100% represent his clients in the best way possible, regardless of market changes or any other unforeseen obstacles that may arise. This gives him ultimate satisfaction and complete peace of mind.
Paschall Insurance Group continuously strives to provide the absolute best coverage, price and service available in the insurance industry!
Nationwide Insurance ran into some social media backlash to its Super Bowl Commercial entitled, "The Boy Who Couldn't Grow Up." The company says the ad was intended to spark a "fierce conversation" about preventing childhood deaths.
The ad depicted a little boy talking about how he will never kiss a girl, ride a bike, travel the globe, or marry. Why? Because he died from a preventable household accident.
The company was promoting its "Make Safe Happen" program about ways to increase safety at home. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, preventable injuries are the number one cause of death among children.
Judging from social media complaints, childhood death is not a conversation people want during Super Bowl parties. Bloomberg reported that about 64 percent of the social media buzz was negative, the worst of any advertising in the Super Bowl.
The "Make Safe Happen" program is a good program and will hopefully bring more awareness to these tragic but preventable household accidents. I don't believe the Super Bowl was the right setting to roll the campaign out, the ad was way too dark for such a fun, energetic, light-hearted environment. Although look at the attention it is getting, I doubt I would be blogging about the ad if I saw it on normal air time. Maybe the Ad Executives over at Nationwide are smarter than we think!
