Florida State Insurance and Auto Tags

01/21/2022

January is Radon Action Month. If your home hasn’t been tested, you should buy a test kit right away. Learn more about the dangers of radon exposure and how to protect your home: https://bit.ly/3G91l06
https://floridastateinsuranceandautotags.com

01/21/2022

If you have a young teen driver, it can be a stressful time for you (and them!) as they gain experience on the road. Share these driving tips with them to build their confidence and ensure their experience is as safe as possible! https://bit.ly/33JBXwS
https://floridastateinsuranceandautotags.com

08/24/2020

Floridastateinsuranceandautotags.com

In honor of Screen-Free Week, here are some of the benefits you can expect when you unplug from technology.

08/24/2020

Each year, the country is hit with hurricanes, tornadoes, hailstorms, super storms, flooding, and more. Of course, you have insurance to help you recover. But knowing and doing a few things now—while the weather’s fair—can help you and your family stay safe and help you protect your property if the unexpected happens.

Here are a few things you should know before a storm hits:
The elevation level of your property—It’s a good idea to know your home’s elevation and prepare accordingly. FloodTools.com has some great tips for planning for a flood. And although you might not be able to prevent flood damage, you could take measures to avoid losing truly irreplaceable things.
Where to find shelter—When a storm hits, the last place you want to be is outside. Even a car is not a reliable place to take refuge. It’s best to think through where to go beforehand—to have a plan. Basements, the bottom floor of a building, or under a stairwell are good places to wait out a storm.
Evacuation routes—When appropriate, local officials will provide information about evacuation routes through the media. But these routes are typically available at any time online. It’s a good idea to be familiar with these routes before a storm hits so you know where to go.
A safe place for your car—Ideally, your car would be with you as you evacuate. However, if you can’t take it with you, park it indoors or on high ground away from potential sources of damage (falling debris, projectiles, etc.). Be sure to have a tarp and waterproof tape handy to seal your windows and doors, as well.
How to know a storm is coming—You can spot a tornado brewing by the dark, often greenish, sky; big hailstones; and large, low-lying clouds. You’ll also hear a roar, similar to a freight train. In the case of a hurricane, look for increasing ocean swells, frequency of waves, and driving rain 36 to 72 hours before it hits.
And, a few things to do:
Keep your car fueled up—Don’t wait until it’s time to evacuate to realize you don’t have enough gas. Gas stations will often be closed during emergencies, and the pumps won’t work if there’s a power outage. Be sure to have at least a half tank of gas at all times.
Keep the landscaping in check—Well-trimmed trees and shrubbery are more wind resistant. And that means they’re less likely to become flying battering rams in a storm.
Have materials ready to board up your windows—Storm shutters offer the best protection, but if you don’t have them, 5/8 inch marine plywood is a good alternative. Cut these boards to fit in advance, and keep them at the ready so you can use them when it’s time. Check out this website for instructions on how to properly board up your house.
Make an emergency kit—In the event of a severe storm, you might have to wait for days before help arrives. Have enough food, water, and basic supplies to last at least 72 hours.
Let the Internet be your guide.

By no means is this list exhaustive, but hopefully it gets you pointed in the right direction. And, of course, there’s no shortage of helpful tips you can glean from the Internet. For example, Ready.gov is a great resource to mine for more proactive ways to be … well, ready. And, there are many mobile apps these days that offer everything from storm tracking to tips for being prepared.

Knowing what to expect, and doing the prep work in advance, will help you weather the storm as best as possible.

“Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small.”—Sun Tzu, The Art of War. floridastateinsuranceandautotags.com

09/07/2017

Hurricane readiness tips for your car, boat or RV

Hurricane season is here—check out the following tips to keep you and your family, as well as your car, boat or RV safe in case severe weather strikes.

Tips to make sure your car is hurricane-ready

With most of your focus on your family and home, you may not think much about your car during a hurricane. But, it may just be your key to safety if you need to evacuate.

Make sure your car is ready and that you understand how to drive in severe conditions.

Well in advance:
• Prepare an evacuation route.
• Store emergency supplies in your trunk. The basics include a first aid kit, bottled water, non-perishable foods, and prescription medications. Here are a few additional suggestions.

If a storm is forecast:
• Get a full tank of gas. Fuel may be in short supply after the storm.
• Make sure the windshield wipers are in good shape, and the tires (including your spare) are properly inflated.
• Place your auto and home insurance documents, vehicle registration, title, and other important documents in a waterproof bag and keep them with you.
• Charge your cell phone and plan to bring it if you evacuate.
• If you expect to leave your car behind, be sure it’s not in a flood-prone area. Rising water can seep in and damage your vehicle.
• If you’re instructed to evacuate, do so immediately.

If you’re ordered to evacuate or are returning home after an evacuation:
• Avoid driving through deep water. The average car can be swept off the road by as little as 12″ of moving water. Just try to find an alternate route.
• If your vehicle stalls in water, you may need to restart the engine to make it to safety. But, be aware that restarting may severely damage your engine.
• If you can’t restart your car and you become trapped in rising water, immediately abandon it for higher ground. If you’re unable to get out safely, call 911 or get help from a passerby or someone standing on higher ground.
• After you and your vehicle are out of deep water and in a safe area, depress your brakes slowly several times to help them dry.

Tips to make sure your boat is hurricane-ready

Know how to protect your boat if a hurricane or other severe weather event is approaching. We developed these tips with help from the U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Emergency Management Administration. Ultimately, the best way to protect your vessel is to remove it from the water, and all other measures are supplemental in the event this can’t be done.

Whether your boat is docked, anchored, or in dry storage:
• Have a storm strategy and implement it well before the hurricane hits.
• Remove non-secure items, electronics and excess gear.
• Remove important documents and valuables.
• Make sure openings are watertight, and remove or stow non-essential canvas.
• Ensure that all self-bailing thru hull fittings are clear of debris.
• Check that batteries are fully charged and that automatic bilge pump switches are operational.

If your boat is docked:
• Double-up on chafe protection.
• Double all lines, attaching them high on pilings to allow for a storm surge. The longer the dock lines, the better a boat will move with high and rough tides.

If your boat is anchored:
• Do not tie it parallel to the shore.
• Leave plenty of room between your boat and other boats.
• Be sure to use enough line to allow for a storm surge.
• Clear all self-baling cockpit drains.
• Consider using several anchors.

If your boat is in dry storage:
• Place it in an area higher than the expected storm surge.
• Lash it to its cradle with heavy lines and consider adding water to the bilge to help hold it down. Never leave your boat on davits or on a hydro-lift.
• If your boat is on a trailer, take some air out of the tires and secure the wheels with blocks between the frame and the axles.
• Make sure all drains are free from debris and drain plugs are removed.

With any of these scenarios, if you’re out of town, ask a friend or relative with access to your boat to help. Sure, you’ll “owe him,” but that favor could help prevent some very expensive damage.

Of course, the most important thing to remember is to protect yourself. Never put yourself in danger while trying to protect your boat.

Tips to make sure your RV is hurricane-ready

Your RV can help you and your family evacuate an area, and serve as a cost-effective, temporary living space if your home isn’t livable due to storm damage.

Here are a few tips to make sure your RV is hurricane-ready.

Well in advance:
• Prepare an evacuation route.
• Store emergency supplies in your RV. The basics include a first aid kit, bottled water, non-perishable foods, and prescription medications. Here are a few additional suggestions.
• Perform a thorough safety check. If you use gas-powered lanterns or cook stoves, be sure to have battery-operated fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. If you use an electric generator, install a transfer switch to prevent shocks.

If a storm is in the forecast:
• Get a full tank of gas. Fuel may be in short supply after the storm.
• Make sure the windshield wipers are in good shape, and the tires (including the spare) are properly inflated.
• Pack sleeping bags and bedding in plastic to protect them from moisture.
• Place your auto and home insurance documents, vehicle registration, title, and other important documents in a waterproof bag and keep them with you.
• Charge your cell phone and plan to bring it if you evacuate.
• Empty the holding tanks, turn off the propane cylinders, and cover the regulator.
• If you have a travel trailer, tie it down and make sure it’s secure.
• If you expect to leave your RV behind, make sure it’s not in a flood-prone area. Rising water can seep in and damage upholstery, carpeting and electrical systems.
• If you’re instructed to evacuate, do so immediately.

Driving:
• Don’t drive during a hurricane. RVs are particularly vulnerable to heavy winds and rain because of their size and high center of gravity.
• If you have no alternative than to drive through standing water, do it slowly and steadily. If your RV stalls, you may need to restart the engine to make it to safety. But, be aware that restarting may severely damage your engine.
• If you can’t restart your RV and become trapped in rising water immediately abandon the vehicle for higher ground. If you’re unable to get out safely, call 911 or get help from a passerby or someone standing on higher ground.

09/07/2017

We are suppose to be hit with a Category 4: Winds range from 131 to 155 mph and can cause catastrophic damage to property, humans, and animals. Severe structural damage to frame homes, apartments, and shopping centers should be expected. Category 4 hurricanes often include long-term power outages and water shortages lasting from a few weeks to a few months, so again, it’s important for any remaining residents to have a significant nonperishable food and water supply at hand. Your auto insurance will cover you only if you have bought comp and collision coverage . Be Safe my friends.

05/29/2015

Power numbers ... the math-link between baseball and insurance

Everything Insurance
Share Tweet Share
Mark Nedved By: Mark Nedved

Mark Nedved

October, 2014

Our STEM Progress® team is teaching students how advanced stats can reveal hidden truths in everything from baseball to car insurance

Growing up a baseball fan in the 1980s, I got caught up in a golden age of baseball card collecting. I'd open the wax packaging, cram the so-called gum in my mouth (it was terrible, but I chewed it anyway), and analyze the following stat line for a hitter: batting average, home runs, and RBIs. With just three numbers, I thought I knew that hitter's story. And so did players, coaches, scouts, and just about everyone else interested in baseball. But it was actually only part of the story.

How math changed baseball forever

Today, baseball stats paint a more complete picture. OPS, WAR, VORP, and other advanced statistics known as sabermetrics (for the Society for American Baseball Research, or "SABR" for short) ushered in a new way of thinking about a player's true performance. In fact, SABR's work proved so revolutionary that it formed the basis for Michael Lewis' popular book "Moneyball," which was later made into an Oscar®-nominated movie starring Brad Pitt.

So how do the advanced stats help decision-makers more than the traditional ones? Take the sabermetric OPS, or On-base Plus Slugging (the sum of a player's on-base and slugging percentages). "Sabermetricians" found that the combination of how often a player can get on base and hit for power can better show all of that hitter's offensive skills (that is, the ability to make contact, draw walks, and hit for power) than, say, batting average alone, which only speaks to the ability to hit. OPS, then, yields more information, which can help the team make better decisions about which players should play, where they fit in the batting order, and more.

Bringing together baseball, insurance and classrooms

In a similar way, Progressive is on the forefront of a sabermetric-like revolution in car insurance. And while we're using new data to help find the most accurate rate possible for our customers (more about that below), we're also using it as an opportunity to help Cleveland-area students develop their STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills.

To wit, we've partnered with Cleveland State University and the Cleveland Indians to introduce sabermetrics into the classroom. Using both baseball and car insurance scenarios, we're demonstrating how the real world applications of advanced statistical analysis can help people make better decisions.

For example, while traditional information still plays an important role in calculating the right price for car insurance (think vehicle year, make and model, number of accidents, number of violations, etc.), we're showing students how new information gathered through our Snapshot® usage-based insurance program is shedding more light on what truly makes up an accurate rate.

Looking anew at car insurance

Like the baseball scouts in Moneyball, we've had to adjust our thinking to take into account new stats that have proven to be powerful predictors of claims. For example, based on our review of Snapshot data, we know you're more likely to have a claim if you consistently drive at certain times.

How do we know? With Snapshot, we've been able to watch trends and patterns develop based on actual driving behavior, not reported behavior. So we've been able to see when claims happen. Just like sabermetrics reveal more about a player's performance, this driving behavior data exposes which factors can lead to an accident. And when you know what can lead to claims, you can use that knowledge to calculate accurate rates, educate drivers on how to reduce their risk, and more.

Will our usage-based insurance team's revolutionary insights wind up in a best-selling book or movie someday? Well, we're still waiting for Brad Pitt to call, but we're confident those insights will wind up in our schools as we work to champion STEM concepts like this with students of all ages.

Wanted: interested teachers

If you're a teacher or educational professional interested in learning more about our STEM offerings, email us or leave a comment below. We'll be happy to connect with you.

05/29/2015

Getting from A to Bliss: A quick guide to wedding transportation planning

Firsthand Experiences
Share Tweet Share

By: Kate Wirkiowski

February, 2015

It’s the sign-off to countless romantic movies: the newlyweds riding off into a lifetime of wedded bliss, while confetti-throwing revelers wish them well.

Make sure your wedding-day transportation is worthy of your own Hollywood ending by planning ahead with these easy tips.

Timing
•One year—Start your research if you’re planning your wedding during peak season (May-June). But give it no less than nine months regardless of the time of year.
•Four months—Plan to have all transportation booked.
•One week—Call the transportation providers to confirm everything is still on schedule.

What to consider when hiring a transportation company for your wedding day

1. Size. Is a limo or limo bus right for you? Make sure there’s enough room in the vehicle. Remember, gowns and dresses may take up extra room and you don’t want you or your guests to look all wrinkled before the ceremony, pictures or reception.

2. Style. Is your wedding traditional or unique? Your choice in transportation can reflect this. Think beyond just limos and limo buses. There are tons of options out there to choose from: vintage cars, horse-drawn carriages, school buses, trollies, boats, bicycles, motorcycles, rocket ship cars. Your options are only limited by your imagination (and possibly your budget); just do a web search for wedding transportation.

3. Timing. Map out the day and think through where people need to be: The wedding party needs to get to the ceremony, pictures and reception. The guests need to get from the hotel, to the ceremony, possibly back to the hotel, to the reception, and back to the hotel yet again. Do you want to run a shuttle so people can leave at different times? Know all this before contacting companies. Some charge hourly, some daily, and some have wedding packages available. The more information you have upfront, the more realistic your estimates will be.

4. Service. Have a budget, and know what kind of services you want so you can plan ahead. Do you want to bring drinks? Then you’ll want an ice down service to keep them cold. Do you want to make certain stops along the way to your destination? These are the types of services you should keep in mind when choosing your company.

5. Total cost. Make sure you compare “apples-to-apples” prices. Many companies have hidden fees, so be sure all service charges, tips, and other add-ons are included in your price comparison. Remember, prices vary greatly based on the part of the country you’re looking in, services offered, and vehicle type you choose.

Bonus tip: Safety. Make sure the company is registered and insured. Never book with someone who can’t/isn’t willing to provide this information.

Additional transportation details to consider
•Rental cars. Do you have guests coming from out of town? If so, they may want to rent cars while in town. Check out PerkShare®
for car rental discounts from Alamo®, National Car Rental®, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car®.
•Designated drivers. Remember the importance of safety. At the end of the night, if any of your guests need a ride home, there are companies out there to help, including Lyft®, Uber® and BeMyDDSM. PerkShare has discounts available for BeMyDD customers.
•Getaway car. Get a free “Just Married” sign for the back of your car on PerkShare.
•Roadside Assistance. Be prepared for car trouble. Progressive offers numerous services, including towing, flat tire changes, locksmith services, among other things.

05/18/2015

we due small business insurance

05/14/2015

We due vessel insurance
Tight lines and Good fishing

05/12/2015

Let us find you the best coverage at the best price

04/23/2015