If you have pets, you have probably worried about leaving them in your house unsupervised. In particular, home fires are likely a big concern. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) indicates that 500,000 pets a year are affected by house fires. Moreover, pets are reported to be responsible for starting 1,000 house fires.

So how can you prevent your pets from starting a fire in your home and also protect them from fire-related injury? The American Kennel Club and ADT Security Services offer the following tips that could save your pet’s life.

• Extinguish open flames — Pets tend to be attracted to stoves and open fires like the fireplace or BBQ. Restrict your pets from the kitchen or the grilling area when cooking with flames is being done, and also use a sturdy screen in front of your fireplace that will keep sparks from flying into the room and one which will not tip over easily. To prevent problems when you are not at home, completely extinguished all sources of fire so they do not pose a threat to pets left at home.
• Remove or protect stove knobs — The NFPA cites pets turning on stove knobs as a leading reason for pet-started house fires. Your curious pet could jump onto the kitchen stove, turning on the stove knobs in the process. Not only could the pet be injured by the stove flame but the flame could spread to involve the entire kitchen and beyond. To prevent such dangers, remove or cover stove knobs so that they cannot be activated while you are away.
• Flameless candles — Pets are also drawn to burning candles and lanterns which they can easily turn over causing a fire to spread quickly to surrounding furniture and walls and then engulf the entire house. The answer: use battery-powered flameless candles which will offer the same visual effect without the flame.
• Water bowls on wooden decks — You might believe that leaving your pet in your back yard while you are not at home would be a safe decision. You might be correct unless you have left your pet’s water in a glass water bowl on your wooden deck. The water in the bowl acts like a magnifying glass to concentrate the sunlight, thus heating the wooden deck enough to ignite the wood. The solution: Use a ceramic or stainless steel water bowl which does not focus light in the same way.
• Inspect and pet proof — Loose electrical cords can cause several different hazards. If the cord is attached to a lamp with the bulb turned on and the pet pulls the lamp over, the lightbulb could ignite a carpet if it lands against it. Pets can also become entangled in loose electrical wires and be strangled or cause an appliance to fall to the floor and hit your pet. Then there is always the chewing pet who can suffer severe burns if they chew through the electrical cord.

Homeowners Insurance Tip

Even when you "pet proof" your home and remain aware to prevent pet-related accidents, sometimes those accidents can still occur.  Be sure that you are fully protected.  Have a conversation with your insurance agent well in advance of a time when you'll need it to be sure that you have the homeowners insurance coverage you need on your policy.  He or she will help you to anticipate any circumstances that might given your lifestyle because it's too late after the accident happens.

Feel free to contact any of our very capable and experienced agents at the William M. Sparks Insurance Agency here in Lutherville/Timonium MD to discuss your home insurance.  We can help you review your current insurance policy and explore your options to be sure you have the best coverage and protection according to your circumstances.

Is your student off to college this semester? Have you done an insurance review?

Can you believe that summer is coming to an end and it’s now back-to-school time once again? It’s the time of year when we notice more than ever the way our children are growing and how their lives are changing. So this makes it the perfect time of year to also evaluate your family’s auto insurance and homeowners insurance coverage. Is this the year when your teen goes to college? Will your son or daughter get a drivers license? Will you be replacing your vehicle to make room for school carpooling? Will you be adding an addition to your home to accommodate space for home schooling? Keep your children safe in the new school year— review your car and home insurance coverage this fall.

Car Insurance

• Before you decide on that new vehicle, check with your insurance agent to see how its purchase will affect your auto insurance rates. Also, you’ll want to discuss how carpooling impacts your coverage as well.
• Teen drivers can be expensive to insure, but don’t forget to check for a student discount. Typically, getting the discount requires that your child carry a good grade-point average, so you’ll need the details on that as well. In addition, if your teen passes a driver safety course, you might qualify for reduced car insurance rates.
• If your child in college, it’s possible that you might receive a further discount, provided they meet the requirements – typically attending school outside of a specific distance from home without a vehicle while away.   Again, your insurance agent will know the details.

Home Insurance

• Perhaps home schooling is your plan, and you know you’ll need to expand your home to accommodate the space. There are many insurance questions to resolve before you move forward. For example, if your home is expanded and the property value increases, then how will this affect your homeowners insurance cost. Not to be forgotten, also, is the need for sufficient liability coverage if your home schooling will include others beyond your immediate family.
• If your college-bound teen will be living on campus, then most of his or her belongings will typically be covered – at least in part – by your homeowners insurance policy. This includes all those expensive items like a laptop, TV, bike, smartphone and other electronics, among others. 
• If your college student will be living off campus while away at school, then it is likely that your homeowners insurance will not cover, and renters insurance will then be your answer. Renters insurance is typically very affordable, and a discussion with your insurance agent will let you know your options.

Home and Auto Insurance Tip

The start of another new school year can be an exciting time for your family. Giving yourself the peace of mind knowing that you’ve got the right insurance coverage can help you protect your assets as you invest in your child’s future. The first step to doing so is to meet with your insurance agent who can help you explore your options.

The William M. Sparks Insurance Agency located in Lutherville / Timonium, MD, is a full-service insurance agency offering auto/car insurance, homeowners insurance, business/commercial insurance and life insurance to all of Maryland (MD), Virginia (VA) and Pennsylvania (PA) since 1981. Our experienced insurance agents welcome your inquiries and are glad to discuss your coverage needs at any time.

As your college student heads back to campus this fall with a computer, cell phone,  tablet, headset and other valuable items in tow, perhaps you have already considered what might happen if these items were vandalized, damaged by fire or perhaps even stolen.  Would your homeowners policy cover such a loss, allowing replacement of your student's possessions while away at college?  In fact, you can protect your student's valuables against these kinds of losses through the right insurance. If you plan ahead, you can avoid the risks of being caught unaware about your student's insurance coverage.

Do You Need Additional Insurance Coverage?

A little advanced planning can often save the day. You'll want to sit down with your child and list everything that will be moved to college. This will then allow you to put a value on each item. When you have that information documented, then contact your insurance agent to confirm your homeowners policy coverage including any coverage limitations.  When you have determined the maximum coverage limit available for your student, then compare it to the total value of your child's belongings. If the total value exceeds the maximum coverage, you’ll want to know it now so that you can increase your coverage before there is a need to file a claim.

On Campus or Off? Homeowners or Renters Insurance?

Your agent will ask whether your child will be living in an off-campus apartment or on campus. Most homeowners insurance policies will cover your student's personal property in a campus dormitory up to the limits of your policy.  However, this is typically not so if your child is living off-campus.  If that is the case, then renters insurance is the coverage you will need. 

Don’t Forget an Inventory

Regardless of whether homeowners insurance or renters insurance will apply, it is critical to have an inventory of all items in advance. A list of items the student is taking to college will be helpful of their property is stolen or damaged. Be sure to include the serial numbers as well as model, make and brand of each item along with a description and a photographic record (especially for items that are unique). Along with the inventory, keep receipts for expensive items to help establish value in case you must file a claim.  Furthermore, it's important to advise your child about taking normal precautions to protect their belongings while they are away at school.

Attending to insurance coverage details and making good preparations before your teenager leaves for college will result in a smoother transition for both of you. For your own peace of mind, the key is to not assume you have adequate insurance coverage for your student's possessions at school without checking with your agent to be aware of all insurance options.

Here at the William M. Sparks Insurance Agency in Lutherville – Timonium MD, we help parents and students to sort through their insurance options when it comes time to head off to college; and we can answer your questions and help you, too.  Feel free to contact us at your convenience for a no-obligation review of your homeowners insurance policy and a discussion of what might be your best course of action to protect your child's belongings.

Are you doing all you can to keep hackers out of your house?

We all know that smart appliances like televisions, refrigerators, thermostats and the many other systems that are controlled from our smart phones offer many benefits to our busy lives. But they also present some very real risks if not managed. As the number of us using home networks for these applications rises, so does the risk of cyber attacks. Most of these devices carry easily-hacked default codes and password which, when used right out-of-the-box, can expose your IP address to the internet where hackers can find it.

What does a cyber invasion look like?

Once they have access, these thieves will breach your home network security. If this happens, they can use your personal and financial information. Moreover, they can hijack your devices and extort high-dollar ransoms from you for computer files held hostage. They can even control your appliances – perhaps setting the temperature all the way up via your smart thermostat on the hottest day of the year and not releasing it until you pay the ransom. Often however, these criminals will continue to use your network for their own purposes without you even knowing it.

Can you avoid these cyber attacks?

There are steps you can take and habits you can adopt to help keep your home network safe from hackers. Here are tips from the experts to secure your devices. Here are 10 tips to help homeowners keep their home systems safe:

Software Updates: don’t ignore the latest updates and security patches that become available for phones, appliances and other electronics. Often, they include “fixes” for security vulnerabilities that have been discovered since the device was sold.

Password Authentication: Whenever possible, take advantage of two-factor authentication offered by many financial institutions. A code (usually only valid for a matter of minutes) is sent via a separate text or e-mail to be used along with a password during log-in. If a hacker is monitoring your device, they will not have access to the separate code and thus cannot gain access to the account you are opening.

Network Security: Treat your home network as you would your business office network. Prevent unauthorized access by changing default settings, user names and passwords when devices are installed and periodically thereafter. When installing new devices, use a firewall rather than a link through another device. Take the time to see that your passwords are complex – not easily guessed.

Bluetooth Device: If your network has any vulnerability, hackers can exploit your Bluetooth function to listen in or gain access to other connected devices. Turn off your Bluetooth device when not in use.

Financial Data: consider isolating your financial transactions such as online banking on a single computer that is not used for any other online activities including social media and even e-mail.

Smartphone Security: Because most other devices and appliances on a smart home network are typically accessed through your smartphone, gaining access to your smartphone is the goal of a hacker. Be sure to password-protect your smartphone using a password of letters, symbols and numbers. Better still, if your phone offers fingerprint access, strongly consider it.

App Purchases: Not all apps are created to be safe. Your best chance to get safe apps is to purchase them through verified app stores such as Google where the apps are tested for flaws and malicious code. Downloading apps from an unverified third party or without knowing that the app’s privacy policy shows how your information will be handled could allow access for hackers.

Smart Device Purchase: When you purchase a new smart device for your home network, be sure that it is still in its original packaging to avoid tampering. Hackers have been known to purchase a device, infect it with malicious code, return it to the retailer and then wait for an unassuming shopper to purchase and install it.

Safely Disposing of Smart Devices: If you are getting rid of a smart device, be sure to remove any data and reset back to factory default settings to prevent someone else from gaining access to your network through the device later.

In short, be aware and be prepared. Know that, when you deploy smart technology, there are risks. Regard your smart devices the same as you would your phone or computer.

Homeowners Insurance Tip

Take the time to contact your insurance agent to check your homeowners and identity theft coverage before you find you need it. You could find that your coverage includes assistance in identity recovery and/or other forensic expert assistance in the event you do suffer a breach.

Feel free to contact any of our very capable and experienced agents at the William M. Sparks Insurance Agency here in Lutherville/Timonium MD to discuss your home insurance.  We can help you review your current insurance policy and explore your options to be sure you have the best coverage and protection according to your circumstances.

Ask 10 people how their Auto Insurance premium is determined, and you’ll get 10 different answers. 

The reason that you'll get different answers is largely because of the many elements that influence the amount of your auto insurance premium.  In addition to the amount of coverage and type of coverage, insurers must consider many other factors – some of which you can control but others you cannot.  The relative importance and weight of these factors varies from insurer to insurer. Thus, your Auto Insurance premium will vary as well. 

Just what is involved? Check out this infographic from the Insurance Information Institute to see the WHAT and the WHY of factors that impact your auto insurance premium. http://bit.ly/2XUsrCB

Before you purchase an auto insurance policy, we suggest that you consult with a trusted insurance agent who will ask the right questions and get to know you.  Only then can your agent help you find the insurance policy that is right for you and explain the process involved in arriving at the amount you’ll pay. 

Do you already have Auto Insurance? Then, maybe it’s time to sit down with your agent to review your current coverage and determine whether you still have the best policy for your needs at the best rate available. 

Feel free to contact any of our very capable and experienced agents at the William M. Sparks Insurance Agency here in Lutherville/Timonium, MD to discuss your insurance questions.  We can help you review your current insurance policy and explore your options to be sure you have the best coverage and protection according to your circumstances.