Shannon Harvey Insurance

No matter the time of year, the aftermath of storms can be devastating, leaving people without homes or dealing with major repairs. While we can't predict whether or not our homes our home will be affected by hail, heavy winds or strong thunderstorms, home owners and renters in Greenville, SC can make sure their property and belongings are properly protected.

The Atlantic hurricane season stretches through Nov. 30, and early preparation is the best way to help protect your family and property.

Regardless of whether you own your house, condo or townhome, or if you rent, this next question should be very important to you: If disaster struck your home would you know what you owned?  Remember that even though it can take years to collect your possessions, they could be gone in a split second following a disaster like a fire, flood, tornado, hurricane, storm or another peril.

We recommend that you compile a home inventory to compile a list of your belongings to ensure the proper coverage in your home owners, condo or renter's policy.  If your home, condo or apartment is damaged or destroyed in a storm, an accurate and up-to-date home inventory can help make the possible recovery process easier on you and your family.

6 Steps To A Home Inventory...

• Whenever possible, make sure your home inventory list includes photographs or video of your belongings. If you have a home video camera, take periodic videos of each room in your house.  Focus on individual items in each room. Take additional video of smaller items like jewelry, silver, and related valuables or keepsakes. The same recommendations apply if you're using a conventional camera. Be sure to be thorough when taking pictures of your belongings.

• Include with any picture or video home inventory list, a detailed, written account of what you own. Be specific in your written inventory. Whenever possible include make, model, serial numbers, receipts, and date of purchase for all items in your home inventory.

• If you don't have pictures, a written home inventory list is better than no inventory, but make sure you are as detailed as possible.

• Store your home inventory list somewhere away from your home. If you have a bank safety deposit box, keep your list there. If you don't have a safety deposit box, ask a friend or relative to keep your inventory list in a safe place.  I recommend, wherever you store your home inventory list, make sure the location is far enough away from your home it won't be lost in the same event that may destroy your house. However, make sure your home inventory list is kept close enough so that it is easily accessible to you when you need it.

• Be sure to update your home inventory after any major purchase or gift. You should be updating your home inventory periodically anyway, but make special effort to do so after any major purchase, holidays, or birthdays.

• If time permits, share your home inventory with your insurance agent so that he or she can help you decide if your coverage meets your needs.

While it's easy to hope for the best, it's best to plan for the worst.

All of us at the Shannon Harvey Allstate agency wish you a safe and a fun 4th of July celebration.

So whether you're planning to observe America's birthday with parades, All-American eating, fun in the sun, or evening fireworks, we wish you a happy 4th of July.

Parents, are you looking for some fire safety basics to discuss and practice at home with your children? Look no further. Tell your children that they can be the Deputy Fire Marshals in your home when they understand all nine rules. They can even help you draw an escape plan, lead fire drills at home, and teach others the 9 Cool Rules.

1. Don't play with matches and lighters.  If you see matches or a lighter where children can reach them, don't touch them--but go tell a grown-up right away.

2. Ask your parents to install smoke detectors on every floor of your home.  Smoke detectors can save lives. Ask your parents to show you where each one is located.

3. Remind your parents to test your smoke detectors every month.  Make sure everyone in the family is familiar with its piercing sound. Teach them that this sound means danger, and they must escape quickly.

4. When your parents change the time on your clocks for Daylight Savings, ask them to change your smoke alarm batteries.  A smoke detector can only save lives if it has working batteries. Give it fresh batteries and your smoke detector will stay awake and watch for fire while you're sleeping.

5. In case of fire: Don't Hide, Go Outside.  Fires are scary, but you should NEVER hide in closets or under beds when there is a fire. Firefighters may look scary when they're wearing their protective gear, but please don't hide from them. They are wearing special suits and masks as protection from flames and smoke--so they can save you.

6. To escape during a fire: Fall and Crawl.  It is easier to breathe in a fire if you stay low while getting out. Use the back of your hand to test if a door is hot before you open it. If it is hot, try to use another way out.

7. If your clothes are on fire: Stop, Drop, & Roll until the fire is out.  Shout for help, but don't run. Running makes fire burn faster.

8. Have an escape plan and practice it with your family.  Find two ways out of every room, in case one way is blocked by fire or smoke. Practice escaping by both routes to be sure that windows are not stuck and screens can be taken out quickly.

Choose a meeting place outside, such as a big tree or the end of the driveway, so you will know that everyone has gotten out safely. NEVER go back into a burning building for any reason. If someone is missing, tell the firefighters. They have the clothing and the equipment to safely rescue people.

9. Know your local emergency number.  Put the stickers and magnets with emergency numbers on your refrigerator and every telephone in the house. If there is a fire at your house, choose one family member to leave your meeting place and call the fire department from a neighbor's phone.

Make the effort to share these 9 Cool Fire Safety Rules with your family. You never know, doing so just might save a life. Special thanks to the For A Safer America Coalition for their suggestions.

According to a recent fire safety study conducted with kids ages 5-8, most families don't talk about fire safety at home. So, that means:

·        No escape plan designed

·        No meeting place identified

·        No home fire drills called

·        No emergency numbers posted

·        No regular smoke detector battery checks

It's sad but true - just because your kids learned about fire safety in school, doesn't mean they know what to do if a fire occurs at home. This is especially disturbing because 80 percent of all fire deaths take place in a home, and an average of three children die as a result of fire each day in the United States.

Parents, here are some ideas to help you teach your children about fire safety.

Keep it simple. Children learn best when the rules are straightforward and easy to remember. If you have preschoolers, you may want to introduce just one or two of the rules at a time.

Use teachable moments. Reinforce your discussions about fire safety whenever the topic arises- for example, when there's a fire in the news or in a book, or when you see a fire. Ask your children what they would do if they were in that situation.

Do it, don't just say it! Children learn by doing and by following your example. Make a game of practicing a fast escape from each room in your house, especially at night, when most deadly fires occur. Use a stopwatch and wait until everyone has gathered at your family's designated meeting place before you stop the timer. Work together to set a family record.

Repeat yourself. Children need to hear and do things over and over before they remember them. Practice your family's escape plan once every season.

Don't scare small children with too much responsibility. In a dangerous situation, it's normal for 3- to 6-year-olds to forget things they've learned. Make a game of practicing fire safety so they become very comfortable with all the rules. Remind them never to hide from firefighters because the firefighter's job is to help people.

Like many of the things we insure against (car accidents, theft, cancer), fire is something few of us think about routinely. It's easy to hope for the best, but I believe it's best to plan for the worst. Having conversations with your family about fire safety is easy to do and it could go a long way toward keeping your family safe.

Accidents happen...and so do lawsuits. Liability insurance helps keep a stranger's misfortune from becoming yours. For example, letting a tree branch grow over the sidewalk doesn't look like a dangerous hazard. But if a child is knocked off her parent's shoulder, falling to the sidewalk - you could potentially be accused of negligence and sued. If you are found liable in court, your personal assets could be at risk.

Family Liability Coverage helps protect you against the financial uncertainty arising from injury or property damage that you or your family may cause to other people - on or away from your property. It typically includes compensation for the injured party, the cost of defending you in court and any court awards or settlements up to the limits of your policy.

Compare the total worth of everything you have with the limits of your policy and talk to an agent to make sure you are comfortable with your level of protection.

• Retirement accounts [IRA, 401(k), pension plans]
• Non-retirement investments (stocks, bonds, mutual funds)
• Liquid assets (checking, savings, CDs, money market accounts)
• Personal property (actual value of all your possessions if you sold them: cars, boats, jewelry, furniture, etc.)
• Home and other real estate equity

In the event that you or anyone in your household is accused of accidentally causing injury or damage to property, your insurance coverage can help by providing for legal defense fees and, in the event of a settlement or judgment, can pay damages (up to your policy limit). Talk with an agent about limits for this coverage, as coverage is dependent on your particular policy limit.

Click here to read more about Liability Insurance.