Hello there, I’m Chip Fridrich and today I’m going to encourage you to purchase five specific items for your home that will instantly make your household safer. Four of these five items are less than fifty dollars. I promise that you won’t regret any of these purchases and they will be great safeguards against claims. A few might even save a life. I have every single one of these in my residence.
Purchase number one – if you don’t have stainless steel hoses for your washing machine, please run don’t walk to your local convenience or hardware store and buy a set today. If you have rubber hoses on your machine just understand – they will break someday. It is not a matter of IF, it is WHEN. They cost less than forty dollars. Pick up a set today.
Item number two – and this is the one item that I mentioned earlier as being more expensive – look into a leak detection system. Our agency recommends the Leak Defense brand. You can find them up on the web. This system operates much like an alarm system does for your home. It monitors water flow as well as the duration that water is running inside your home. You can control the settings and set the parameters. If the limits are reached, the water is shut off to your house. With some upper end home automation systems, you can receive a text message to your phone that the system has been activated. No more leaky ice makers, gushing washing machines, broken toilet valves, or frozen pipes. When you go out of town, you can set the panel to shorter durations for quicker shut off activation. This system requires a trusty plumber and costs around two thousand dollars installed, but it is well worth it. If you didn’t know it already, water claims lead the industry when it comes to dollars paid out by carriers. Don’t be a victim.
Purchase number three – a monitored fire and burglar alarm system. Notice I said monitored and I said both fire and burglar. The sad thing is, most people have these in their homes, but they don’t want to get them monitored or they have them and don’t turn them on!!!! You want a system that will notify a monitoring company that there is an issue at your home and unless it is a false alarm the police will be called. There are new systems all over the market that use cameras, and they are great resources, but unless you have an alarm to go with the cameras the only thing a camera is going to do is tell you who broke into your home after it happens. Again, get the system monitored. Some companies will do it for under 10 bucks a month. And turn it on. The credit you will receive from your homeowners insurance carrier will usually pay for the monitoring fee each year.
Purchase number 4 – a carbon monoxide monitor. Very simple. Costs less than forty bucks. Make sure you have one on both levels of your home if you live in a two or three story home. It could save a life and is a no brainer.
And finally, this is essential if you have kids. An escape ladder in the event of a fire. We recommend the “Kidde” brand. Look it up on Amazon. It is under fifty bucks and will give you and your family peace of mind. You need to show your kids how to use it and explain that it is not a toy.
I hope these tips have given you some enlightenment about safety in your home. I give you these tips because preventing accidents and keeping you safe is way more important to me than selling you or my customers an insurance policy. Unlike most things you purchase, I hope that insurance is something you buy, but never have to use.
If you wish to discuss home safety, please contact our agency and I will gladly pass on information about any of these devices and how you can buy them.
Our agency’s mission is to provide personalized service, professional guidance, honest answers, and quality insurance products- all in a boutique yet highly experienced manner. If you are interested in knowing more about our agency, contact us at info@fpa.insure.
Leave a Reply