Bad Weather Ahead
It’s that time of year; rain, hail, lightning, maybe even tornadoes. Be ready by taking a few steps:
- Make sure drain spouts are in place to move water away from your foundation. Remember, seepage is generally not covered by home insurance. If you are not clear on what is, talk to us to understand sewer backup, overland water and what is covered in your policy.
- Know where your weeping tile drains to and follow the water. Some rural systems have weeping tile draining into the septic tank which presents a problem if the septic pump fails or loses power.
- Think about what happens if you are without power for a few days. Does your sump pump require backup? Battery and generator backups are options. Will your septic system keep up?
- Water alarms are inexpensive and a good pro-active measure to stop damage. See the Alarm and Security System section on the next page.
- Have an emergency plan for your family and anyone that may be vulnerable in case of severe weather. Remember, in the last year we have been without cell phones, water and power. Think ahead about what could go wrong if we were without basic services this summer.
- Remember the new saying in insurance; Water is the new fire.
Farm & Business Risk Management Systems
One of the most important things related to farm or business insurance is the measures in place to prevent loss. Insurers are increasingly evaluating how well a farm or commercial policy holder manages risk. This is becoming the best predictor of who will suffer a loss. More important than insurance rates are the effort to reduce accidents that can cause injury and eliminate loss. For this reason, we have implemented a Risk Management System program to be proactive in preventing loss.
This is a key business management practice because:
- You are taking proactive measures to reduce the chance of injury or fatality of your family, employees, customers, and suppliers.
- Avoiding claims is important in this environment. By far the best measure is to avoid claims rather than deal with all the expense and hassle of a claim.
- Better loss history = better insurance rates. Insurers will continue to offer better rates to those they consider to be better risks. Having a Risk Management System in place is the best way to be that better risk.
Alarm and Security Systems
The rampant crime in rural Manitoba is bad and appears to be getting worse. Every week we hear of another rash of break-ins or theft. Protecting your family and property is important but where do you start? To help with this we have aligned ourselves with Great White Tech Inc., the local provider of alarm, security, monitoring and home & business automation services.
Did you know:
- There are insurance discounts for monitored alarm systems.
- The technology now can provide alarm systems for water damage, low temperature, carbon monoxide and much more in addition to the basic fire and intrusion.
- You can have surveillance systems designed specifically for your needs.
- Your phone app can allow you to control your home or business from anywhere.
Give Dean at Great White Tech Inc. a call at 431-803-0838, visit www.greatwhitetech.com or email info@greatwhitetech.com
