Carbon Monoxide Hazards

Both naturally occurring and a by-product of man-made combustion, carbon monoxide (CO), a clear and odorless gas, is poisonous to humans and animals.
Defective furnaces, fireplaces, flues, and oil heaters are most frequently responsible for accidental CO poisonings. When improperly vented, malfunctioning home appliances like furnaces and air-conditioners can slowly fill your home with CO.
In the United States, CO leaks are responsible for an estimated 500 deaths a year and more than 15,000 trips to the emergency room. However, as CO poisoning often goes unreported, the number of instances is most likely much higher.
What Can You Look For?

CO is dangerous because there tend to be no noticeable symptoms if an individual’s CO levels are at less than 10 percent in the bloodstream.
Above 10 percent, CO poisoning symptoms may mimic the flu or a cold. At that level, symptoms may include:
•Headache
•Fatigue

•Mild confusion
•Irregular breathing and heartbeat
•Nausea
•Coughing

Jason Shroot feel it especially important if everyone in the home is experiencing at least some of the symptoms, and pay particular attention if pets exhibit symptoms, since animals cannot get the flu.
When CO levels exceed 20 percent, the poisoning can be fatal.
What Should You Do?

If you suspect that you or members of your family are suffering from CO poisoning:
•Evacuate your home; get everyone outdoors immediately.
•Call 9-1-1 from another location.
•Report it to the fire department, even if everyone is feeling better.

How Can You Prevent CO Poisoning?

Taking a small amount of time to manage your home’s risks will greatly protect you and your family.
Have your furnace and gas appliances inspected and maintained by a qualified contractor once a year. This should be done before the start of the heating months.
And keep in mind that space heaters, ovens, and any gasoline-powered engines can cause a buildup of carbon monoxide. If you suspect the appliance or tool you’re using might be causing a buildup of CO, play it safe and open a window. If you’re working in the garage, open the door. Ventilation is a sure way to disperse a buildup of the gas.
Detection

Jason Shroot agrees that Installing a CO detector on each level of your home, and in or near each sleeping area. While you shouldn’t rely solely on CO detectors, having them properly placed throughout your home can serve as a good fail-safe.
Try to keep the detectors at least 20 feet from any fuel-burning appliances and at least 10 feet from high humidity locations like bathrooms and kitchens, as moisture can sometimes trigger faulty readings. Test the batteries of your detector regularly, and if an alarm sounds, call a professional to check your gas-burning appliances.
Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for more information about carbon monoxide poisoning.

Please Contact Jason Shroot For More Information On Protecting Your Home & Saving On Your Homeowners / Automobile  / Business Insurance.

714-988-3325

jason@diversifiedinsurancequotes.com

 

DOT Sets New Hours-of-Service Limits

DOT Sets New Hours-of-Service Limits

On December 27, 2011, the Department of Transportation, through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, issued its final rule limiting the hours of service for commercial truck drivers. The rule will be enforced beginning on July 1, 2013. The final hours-of-service rule reduces the maximum number of hours a truck driver can work within a week and imposes break and rest requirements for drivers.

For A Commercial Insurance Quote Please Contact Jason Shroot At 714-988-3325 or Jason@diversifiedinsurancequotes.com.  Please Also Visit Jason Shroot At www.JasonSellsInsurance.Com

Are Your Automobile Tires Old & Tired?

The Problem with Tired Tires

Addressing Loose Regulations & Auto Accident Liability...

Back in the day, tires typically would wear out before they got too old. Thinning treads is the consumer indicator that a tire needed to be replaced and, 30 to 40 years ago, that was probably around the 20,000 to 30,000-mile usage marker.

Nowadays, tires are more durable and can last upwards of 60,000 to 100,000 miles. The downside, as Jason Shroot has read is that consumers are unaware that steel-belted radial ply tires, despite their toughness, face aging challenges because they are made of rubber, a product that oxidizes and hardens over time.
Older tires are vulnerable to catastrophic failures since excessive brittleness from oxidation can trigger tread and belt separations. Should those tires be attached to vehicles that travel roads in hot, dry climates, then those tires will deteriorate even faster.
The challenge with aging tires is they can hide their decrepitude, unlike a mature actor relying on injectables and plastic surgery for youthfulness. Unused new tires may be stored for years before installation and look pristine, but climate, handling, and storage can exact a toll indiscernible to visual examination.

Jason Shroot recently found out that currently there is no U.S. industry standard for when tires should be removed from service. To compound matters, manufacturers do not plan to stamp expiration dates on their wares. European countries recommend 6 years of usage. In contrast, U.S. tire manufacturers either do not offer guidance as to tire shelf life or simply suggest removal or regular inspections of 6 to 10-year-old tires. As long as a tire does not show signs of checking or cracking (the only visual traces of tire aging) and was kept in climate-controlled storage, then it may be okay to use despite its age.
Enterprising policyholders can, however, decipher a date code marked on the tire’s sidewall to determine a tire’s age. That date code is contained within the tire’s serial number and is commonly imprinted on the inward-facing side of the tire, but chances are the figures noted will be somewhat cryptic. Unfortunately, as many retail tire shop employees do not know how to read date codes, consumer ignorance is not altogether unexpected as well.

For More Information on Risk Management Pratices For Your Home / Auto / Business Please Contact

Jason Shroot

714-988-3325

www.JasonSellsInsurance.com



Did You Change Lately?

Changes in home ownership and occupancy can affect insurance coverage. You must find the right policy for the property and its use— in effect, the round peg for the round hole.

 Here are the basic property insurance policies and what they cover, along with some changing circumstances we often discover that no longer work for these policies.


A homeowner’s policy will cover 1-4 family units and/or contents owned by an individual or a trust, and occupied by the owner, trustees or beneficiaries. It will cover both the property and the liability for stated perils. The home must be occupied and furnished within 60 days of the effective date— sometimes 30 days, if the insurance company’s guidelines require.
A business owner’s policy will cover property units owned by an individual, partnership, corporation or any combination of those. It will cover both the property and the liability for stated perils. The property must be occupied and furnished within 30 days of the effective date.
A dwelling fire policy is designed to cover the structure of a building owned by an individual or a trust which is occupied, but not by the owner. It will cover liability for the premises only.  The home must be occupied and furnished within 60 days of the effective date— sometimes 30 days if company’s guidelines require.

Obviously, the family with a primary home or a rental property occupied by a year-round tenant are the round pegs. But what happens when there are different circumstances than those mentioned above— in essence square pegs? Unusual circumstances seem to be growing more rapidly than the insurance industry can accommodate. Here are some common ones that I am seeing:
For health reasons, a person has to permanently move to a care-giving facility—leaving their home unoccupied.

The home is being foreclosed-on, and the owners have left the home.

For legal or tax purposes, the home ownership shifts to an LLC, LLP or corporation.

You purchase a new home, but want to do work on it before moving in, and it will take longer than 30 days.

You purchase a home with the intention to renovate and resell.

If you do not communicate these changes or intentions to your local insurance agent, Jason Shroot, it can jeopardizes your coverage for claims even though you continue to pay premiums. In some circumstances, homes will be covered until the existing policy period ends, as in the case of a deceased homeowner. In other cases, coverage may extend to your changing circumstances for 30 or 60 days before the insurance contract or specific coverage voids, as in the case of a vacant home. Or at claim time, you could find that you have no coverage since you’re no longer adhering to the insurance contract you signed.
A good example occurs when a primary home becomes a rental home. The remedy is to find a policy that fits the changed circumstances; coverage may be different and more expensive especially in the instance of vacant-home policies. An appropriate policy is a necessity.
These days, Jason Shroot is seeing that the Insurance companies are taking a very hard line with changed circumstances, most likely due to the huge increase in vacancies, foreclosures and arms-length liability transactions— all spurred by these difficult economic times.   Insurance Companies have even increased the scope and frequency of inspections to help manage the situation. In essence, insurance companies no longer allow square pegs in round holes.

Please Contact Jason Shroot at 714-988-3325 and let's please review your insurance policy situations.

Please also contact Jason Shroot at www.JasonSellsInsurance.com or jason@diversifiedinsurancequotes.com