by Flagship Staff | Jul 10, 2019 | Blog
Did you know, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, that nearly 35 million people pack up and move each year? Whether you’re relocating for a new employment opportunity, you need a bigger space for your expanding family, or you’re looking to live in a nicer neighborhood, moving can be extremely stressful.
From transferring children to a new school district and finding new utility and healthcare providers to creating new daily routines and making your new place feel organized and comfortable, making a move can be exhausting and disorganized if not done correctly.
While moving will never be one of America’s favorite pastimes, it can be an excellent opportunity to get organized, simplify your life, and throw out old belongings that are cluttering up your space. To ensure you stay calm during the chaotic whirlwind of packing and moving, here’s some guidance on how to prepare and make the transition as smooth as possible.
Make an Action Plan
The worst thing you can do is leave preparations and packing until the last minute. To keep yourself on track, make an electronic to-do list outlining what needs to be moved, what can be donated or thrown away, and what rooms you plan to tackle first. This way, you can access the information on your phone from any location. Always keep important documentation in an easy-to-access place and carry it with you during the move. This way, if you need to present any confirmations, receipts, or certificates, you won’t have to rifle through boxes in a frenzy trying to locate them. When you box up belongings, be sure to label each box to simplify the unpacking process. For example, you could label a box “Kitchen pots, plates, and silverware – Fragile.”
Keep it Simple
Juggling your home life and work demands during the moving process can seem overwhelming. Keep all your appointments, work deadlines, children’s schedules, and other important obligations stored on an electronic calendar, preferably your smartphone, so you can receive alerts and reminders straight into the palm of your hand. The goal is to find harmony between your regular routine and the added tasks that come along with pulling off a seamless transition to your new home. Share and coordinate schedules with your partner or family so you can divvy up packing, contacting vendors, and completing other necessary tasks that need to be done before moving.
Update your Address
In addition to notifying the postal service of your change of address, make sure your credit card companies, cable and internet provider(s); gas, electric, and utility vendors, insurance company; employer; and friends are all provided your new information.
Do an Inventory of your Home
There’s no better time to go through all your possessions and take inventory of valuable belongings for your insurance company. Additionally, you can group belongings into categories for packing, dispose of items you no longer need, and declutter your life. Anything you decide to get rid of can be donated to a local charity, sold on Craigslist, LetGo, or eBay, or thrown away all together.
Packing 101
Here’s a little tip on how to pack efficiently: use your bedding, sheets, and towels to wrap, cushion, and protect breakables, such as glassware, picture frames, and decorative pieces. Not only will this save you money on bubble wrap, but it’s an optimal way to use up space in your boxes while ensuring your valuables are kept safe. If you own luggage, you can use these bags to pack shoes, toiletries, clothes, or even last-minute items that you want to use up until your moving day arrives.
by Flagship Staff | Jul 2, 2019 | Blog
Do you remember your first bike? I remember mine very vividly. My neighbor and I had matching his and her bikes. I also remember many bike trips to my grandmother’s house.
If you live in a big city, biking may still be a part of your life. Depending on traffic, biking may be a quicker alternative to get to work. In addition, many communities are adding bike trails which offer a great way to get out for a ride with your entire family.
Biking is a great way to improve your health, save wear and tear on your car, and reduce emissions.
If you’re in the market for a new bike you may want to consider buying an e-bike. While e-bikes are more expensive, they’re gaining in popularity and offer many benefits.
What’s an e-bike?
An e-bike is a bicycle with an electric motor. It’s another option for anybody that enjoys riding. A common misconception is that an e-bike is like a scooter or a motorcycle. All you have to do is jump on and go. With a power assist e-bike, you must pedal which still allows for a great workout. Power assist e-bikes allow you to travel further distances, climb hills in an easier manner, and reduce muscle soreness.
Are all e-bikes created equal?
There three classes classes of e-bikes. They are:
1. Class one – Pedal-assist up to 20 mph.
2. Class two – Found more often online, these bikes are pedal-assist with an electric throttle up to 20 mph.
3. Class three – Higher-end or performance type bikes, such as mountain bikes, that are pedal-assist only up to 28 mph.
Are e-bikes regulated?
E-bikes are regulated, but regulation can vary by state or municipality. Check with your local laws and abide by them.
What bike equipment do I need for an e-bike?
Like with any sport or hobby, the proper equipment is important. Here’s some equipment you should have no matter what type of bike you ride.
Helmet
Mirror
Bell or horn
Lights
Bright clothing
Are e-bikes covered by insurance?
A West Bend policy automatically provides coverage if you buy an e-bike that goes 20 mph or less. If you buy an e-bike that goes faster than 20 mph, you’ll need to talk to your independent agent to have it added to your policy.
by Flagship Staff | Jun 25, 2019 | Blog
More cats and dogs go missing on the 4th of July than any other day of the year. While pet parents look forward to the cookouts, music, and fireworks, it’s terrifying for many of our furry family members.
One of my three dogs is terrified of storms, one loses it whenever there are loud noises, and one isn’t bothered by anything. Pets that suffer from storm anxiety or ones that panic around loud noises are more likely to find fireworks downright terrifying. I can verify that’s true in my home! Here are some tips to help keep them safe, reduce their stress, and prevent them from getting lost:
Research when the fireworks in yours and surrounding communities will be so you can be prepared. Some cities schedule their fireworks for the weekend before the Fourth.
Never bring pets to the fireworks. Even a pet that has never displayed any previous anxious behavior may be spooked. And obviously, never use firecrackers, sparklers, or any other type of fireworks with pets nearby.
Many pets will try to flee to find shelter, including jumping fences, so keep pets indoors during festivities and fireworks. Close the windows and draw the blinds.
Ensure your pets have their collars on and that ID tags/microchip information is up to date.
If your pets use ThunderShirts or medication for storms, consider using them for firework time as well.
Make sure you have a current photo of your pets, just in case.
Have a frozen treat ready at fireworks time. For dogs, fill a Kong with peanut butter and freeze it overnight. Pull it out as a distraction during the loud bangs.
If your pets have a safe place they like to hang out, have it prepared. Many pets like their crates, so have the door open and ready.
If you’re having a party, keep alcohol, charcoal, lighter fluid, citronella insect spray, and glow sticks away from pets as they can be ingested and cause severe health problems.
Hopefully, these pet safety tips will help keep your four-legged family members safe while making the holiday more enjoyable.
by Flagship Staff | Jun 19, 2019 | Blog
Many homeowners dream of having a pool. But when the day finally comes that they move into a new home that has one or they have their own constructed, they might not be ready to properly care for it or take responsible safety precautions.
Inexperience often leads to mistakes. When a pool is involved, those mistakes can be very expensive and even put your children and pets at risk. If you’re a new pool owner, here are four common mistakes you should avoid.
1. Failing to protect the pool with a pool fence or cover
The first mistake is the most serious of all. A swimming pool may be the site of fun in the sun with family and friends. However, when the water is left accessible to anyone who might wander to the pool area without responsible supervision, a pool can also become the site of a tragedy. Thousands of small children and pets are seriously injured or drowned in pools every year.
In addition to causing great sadness and stress, you may be held liable. For example, if the victim’s family were to file a successful wrongful death suit, homeowners insurance could have a significant judgment to pay, which may exceed the insurance cap and/or cause premiums to rise.
A quality safety barrier, such as a mesh pool fence or pool net, makes the pool area difficult to access by children and pets and significantly reduces the chance of all kinds of accidents. Most pool fences and safety nets are designed to be installed or removed in just a few minutes, making it easy to secure them in place on short notice.
Make sure you contact your insurance agent. Your insurance company may require a fence around the pool for coverage to apply.
2. Waiting to care for your pool when it’s out of shape
So, you’ve had your pool for a few months now and all has been well. Then you notice something amiss, maybe it’s an algae bloom, discoloration, or cloudy water. “No worries,” you say to yourself, “we’re going on vacation for a week, and will sort it all out when we get back.”
In just about all cases relating to pool care, leaving the problem for longer will cause it to get worse and more expensive to fix! This is especially true with algae, which will grow almost exponentially once the right conditions are met. It’s much better to shock the pool now than wait to try and fix it before the next time you want to use it.
3. Too much DIY
There are many things you can do yourself in your backyard, but when it comes to a pool, sometimes it’s better to leave things like cover installation to the experts. The industry standard for safety is mesh pool covers which anchor to your pool deck. Installing them requires drilling the anchors directly into the cement or other pool deck surfaces. If this isn’t done by a professional, it’s very likely that the surface will crack.
This is a HUGE mistake for two reasons. First, is the expense. Bringing a crew back out to restore the pool deck to the point where it looks nice will almost certainly cost hundreds of dollars. If it involves pouring new cement, that section may also look different from the rest of the pool deck. It’ll be a few years before the color settles in to match.
The second reason is the big one. Until it’s fixed, the structural integrity of your pool cover will be at risk. The anchor may pop out and the cover will not provide the protection it’s designed for. This can put your family and pets at serious risk.
4. Over-economizing when choosing pool safety solutions
Installing a pool isn’t a small investment. After making such a large financial addition to your property, it’s only natural to want a highly economical pool safety solution. While it’s entirely possible to choose a great solution that’s also economical, the effectiveness of the solution, and not its price, should take precedent.
In reality, the price difference between pool safety products of mediocre quality and superior quality isn’t that great, especially considering the tragic situations that the solutions are designed to help prevent. While you should always try to get the best deal, be sure that the products you choose are ultimately chosen for the superior protection they provide. This includes the projected lifespan of the products, as well as whether they are designed to provide all-season protection.
Prevent mistakes to save money and lives.
A swimming pool can be a wonderful, fun-filled addition to a home. However, the simple fact that it’s filled with feet of water makes it a safety concern, especially for children, the elderly, and adults living with disabilities. This is why it’s essential for swimming pool owners to install a high-quality pool fence or safety cover that helps prevent drowning accidents immediately after the pool is finished and ready for use.
If you have a home swimming pool that needs a pool fence or safety cover, remember to avoid these mistakes. Doing your homework on pool ownership and reaching out to professionals for advice will help you avoid mistakes and save money and even lives.
by Flagship Staff | Jun 11, 2019 | Blog
Whether you’re doing some spring cleaning, decluttering, or moving to a new home, having a garage sale can help you get rid of unwanted items. While you may not make a lot of money in the process, selling things you no longer need can benefit others.
Here are some tips to help you plan and organize for a successful garage sale.
1. Pick a date. Choose a date that’s far enough out so that the process isn’t overwhelming. You may not be aware of all the work that goes into holding a sale. If your city or town has a communal garage sale date, go with it. Otherwise starting on Friday and running through Saturday offers a greater potential for more shoppers.
2. Check on city ordinances. After selecting a date, check with your city or county clerk to see if they have any specific ordinances in place for holding a garage sale. If you live in a condominium (condo), and belong to the association, check the bylaws. You don’t want to get fined for violations.
3. Clean and organize your garage. If you keep your garage clean and organized, this won’t be a big project. If you’re cleaning your garage for the first time this season, give yourself plenty of time. While I understand it’s your garage, a nice clean appearance makes a difference. Don’t forget to clean or wash the items you sell.
4. Figure out what to sell. If you have kids, it’s easy to decide what to sell. Clothes they’ve outgrown or toys they no longer play with are good things to select. If you’re past that stage in your life and you’re decluttering your home, walk around the house, basement, and garage and write down the things you want to sell. If you’re unsure about selling something, create another list for those items.
5. Organize your garage by categories. Organizing your garage by categories can make it easier for your customers because they can pick the section(s) that interests them. Use boxes, coat racks, tables, or blankets on the floor to display your items.
6. Ask for help. If you want to have a garage sale, but can’t do it alone, ask for help. There may be kids in your neighborhood who can clean, do some heavy lifting, or even take items to a customer’s car on the day of the sale.
7. Extend the entrepreneurial spirit. If your kids want to help or be a part of the sale, let them. This can be a nice opportunity to teach them about what it means to be an entrepreneur. Let them be creative. They may want to bake items to sell or serve coffee.
8. Advertise. Advertise via signs on local, high-traffic roads a few days before your sale. Also check into online options likes Craigslist, your local Facebook community groups, or Nextdoor.com. Online advertising is great and an affordable way to expand your reach.
9. Visit the bank. Be sure to have lots of small change and petty cash.
10. Offer a “free” box. If there are items you simply don’t know what to charge for, consider a free box.
11. Pricing. Don’t intentionally overprice your items or you may be negotiating on every item you sell, or you won’t sell much. Also, make sure the prices are legible.
12. Be ready to negotiate. People always feel good when they think they got a good deal. If you have big-ticket items, in particular, think about your bottom line so you can negotiate more effectively. Or it may be better to sell these items online.
13. Be observant. While most of your customers are looking for a good deal, others could be using the sale to case your home. Never let anyone into your home, no matter how much they tell you they desperately need to use the bathroom. Even if you escort them inside, it could lead to an unwanted visit later. Direct them to the nearest convenience store or fast food restaurant instead.
by Flagship Staff | Jun 4, 2019 | Blog
So, you’ve arranged a moving-in date for your new home; cleared out your junk; organized transfer of your cable, mail, and utilities; and ordered your moving containers. What next?
Presuming you’re going to be using a moving company, you’ll want to get that service booked soon, but before you do, there’s one thing you absolutely need to think about: insurance.
Insurance isn’t the most exciting part of a home move but imagine the fallout if your moving truck ends up in a river or a rogue driver goes AWOL with a truckload of your possessions. It’s very rare that this kind of thing happens, but you’ll want to be prepared if it does. Of course, relatively minor mishaps, such as a dropped flat screen TV happen more frequently. After all, cardboard boxes can split and people can drop things.
Before you sign a contract with the moving company you should do some homework and a little bit of math. You may have a limited amount of coverage built into your homeowners or renters insurance policy. But usually, homeowners policies don’t cover personal property while in transit or storage. It’s important to sit down and discuss this with your agent.
To see what coverage you have, you’ll need to run through the following checklist of items:
Are you covered for moving?
Is there a time limit?
Are you covered if you’re moving your items into storage?
Are you covered if you use a professional moving company?
Do your contents have to be properly packed? Does this mean the movers have to pack them for you?
What deductible will you have to pay if you have a claim?
Are any items excluded?
Is there a price-per-item limit?
What’s the claims process?
The answers to some of these questions may result in extra costs for you. For example, if you need the moving company to pack on your behalf they’ll likely charge for that.
When you call your insurance agent, you should ask about:
Any riders or floaters that can increase your protection;
Whether a claim would push up future premiums;
If they offer any ‘basic perils’ coverage if you intend to continue using your current insurance company in your new property; and
The effect of increasing or reducing deductibles.
You should get prices for all the above and use these to decide on the level of risk you’re comfortable with. There’s never zero risk!
If you’re a first-time buyer, note that your new insurance policy will probably not cover your possessions until they’re in the new house although if you have an existing renters policy that would provide coverage. If you don’t have an existing policy but were previously protected under another person’s policy (e.g. a parent’s), it’s worth asking them to check with their insurer to see if they’ll extend some coverage in return for you taking your first insurance policy out with them – this can work!
If you haven’t purchased homeowners insurance yet, West Bend offers a policy with numerous coverage options. A West Bend homeowners policy provides coverage for 30 days subject to the perils of the policy and home deductible, up to the limits of the policy for a newly acquired principal residence.
When you know what’s covered by your existing policy, you can look at what your moving company could offer you.
Can your moving company provide insurance coverage?
Federal regulations require all moving companies to offer two types of insurance coverage if you’re moving out of state. However, this isn’t technically regarded as insurance in the same way as your home, renters, or condo insurance.
Released Value Protection is liability coverage that’s based on weight. This coverage pays up to 60 cents per pound for personal property. However, with all the electronic devices in a person’s home, this coverage is very minimal and wouldn’t pay full replacement cost.
Full Value Protection may cover you for the repair or replacement of your personal property. If you purchase this coverage, make sure you check with your moving company to see how you’ll be covered. Usually, their insurance policy determines if the damaged items will be replaced with new ones or at their depreciated value (i.e. reduced value based on age and condition).
Once you’ve talked to your insurance agent and the moving company, you’ll have a better a better idea of how the different coverage options work.
