Items filtered by date: February 2015

When high winds drive falling or drifting snow, whiteout conditions are the result. If you’re driving, you are likely to have to cope with very low visibility if you are able to see beyond you at all. This winter has brought one snow and ice storm after another with no end yet in sight. So if you must drive when a whiteout threatens, follow these tips to stay as safe as possible.

• Give yourself the best chance at visibility by keeping all car windows clear. Switch your heating system to Defrost – front and rear – but be sure that the system is not set to recirculate because that will add more moisture into the vehicle causing the windows to fog. This will also diminish the amount of fresh oxygen in the air which will also diminish your alertness.
• When you sense a whiteout condition brewing, you should distractions eliminate distractions in your vehicle because your utmost attention is required to operate the car. Immediately, free your hands of any food or beverage, ask passengers to cease conversation so that you can concentrate, and turn off your audio system unless you are tuned to current weather reports.

The article from ErieSense.com, titled “12 Tips for Driving in a Whiteout” tells us, “In many parts of the country, driving through wind and snow is just a part of your average winter. However, it’s not every day that you get caught driving in a whiteout.”

Read the entire article to learn driving in a winter whiteout and how to best protect yourself.

Tags:  auto insurance, winter driving, whiteout, driving safety

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.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Lutherville/Timonium,MD, and all of us at the William M. Sparks Insurance Agency.

You have probably hear those who say that Valentine’s Day is just a creation of the greeting card industry to entice consumers – just like Mother’s Day and other sentimental holidays. Well, perhaps that’s true. After all, the National Retail Federation estimated that each of us would spend and average of $133.91 for Valentine's Day in 2014, and that trend continues on the rise.

When we think about Valentine’s Day gifts, chocolate is often at the top of our mind. Retailers make many reasonably priced versions available. But for the most discriminating Valentine, nothing short of the La Madeline au Truffe from Connecticut chocolatier, Knipschildt will do. This delicacy is described as a rare French Perigord truffle ensconced in a ganache made from Valrhona dark chocolate, truffle oil, vanilla and heavy cream before being dunked in more dark chocolate and cocoa powder. Is your mouth watering yet? You’ll want to remind yourself this chocolate is $2,600 per pound. Made to order, it will be delivered "lying on a bed of sugar pearls" -- as it probably should be.

But if incredibly expensive chocolate truffles are not your thing and assuming that money is no object, then take a look at these other outrageously expensive gifts:

• If you think it wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without flowers no matter the price, then you should learn about the Juliet Rose. You’ll find a dozen of these roses for under $300, but the Juliet is often called the "£3 million rose" (or 5 million U.S. dollars) because that is what rose breeder, David Austin, spent in the 15 years it took him to create the rose.  
• Perhaps a not-so-simple and quite extraordinary card would be best. Gilded Age Greetings will create your couture Valentine's card by hand for a mere $3500! You won’t believe it until you see it.
• Fragrance in the form of perfumes and colognes make great gifts for a Valentine, especially when it is "No. 1" perfume for women by Clive Christian. This world acclaimed fragrance comes in a gold-crowned 1.6-ounce bottle priced at $865 – a bargain when compared with “Imperial Majesty” also by Clive Christian at $215,000 per bottle.

If you’re inclined to invest your fortune in something more permanent than food, flowers, or fragrance, then likely a new iPhone embellished in 200 grams of solid 18k gold could be your choice. This luxury device comes to you in a Cherry Oak Finished Box. The Solid Gold Superstar is SIM free, factory unlocked to ALL networks and comes with the usual accessories. It’s priced at just under $58,000. But if you prefer, you may have the Solid Gold Superstar ICE, encrusted with 364 diamonds (5.5 carats in total) for the upgrade price of about $82,000.

Homeowners Insurance Tip

It is clear that these outrageous gifts are not for anyone but the super rich, and you’ll be looking at more moderately priced gifts. Even so, if your Valentine’s Day plans include a gift of jewelry or some other expensive item, then don’t forget to protect it as soon as possible. The Insurance Information Institute warns us that jewelry losses are among the most frequent of all home insurance content-related insurance claims. So do yourself a favor and take a moment to visit the III.ORG website where you can learn the four relatively simple steps needed to ensure adequate protection for jewelry and other expensive gifts.

Our experienced agents at the Sparks Insurance Agency are always glad to answer your questions and help you sort out your options to be sure you have the best coverage to meet your needs at the best rate.  So why not contact us today or arrange for a no-obligation insurance policy review at your convenience.