Sparks Insurance, Inc.

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“Even if you already have life insurance, financial and insurance professionals recommend that you review your policy periodically to make sure you and your loved ones are properly covered.” Read more at  JSOnline.

Take Active Steps to Reduce your Flood & Water Damage Risk

Water damage from naturally occurring floods & mechanical break downs cause extensive and catastrophic losses to homes every year.  But there are numerous ways you can safeguard your home from these losses, including the following:

• Your home’s drainage system should be check to verify that proper water drainage occurs.  For example, gutter downspouts should extend to the proper distance from the foundation.
• Your yard should be properly graded to slope away from your home to allow surface water to adequately drain.   French drains can also assist in the process.
• A sump pump system should be considered in your basement to keep unwanted water out to of this vulnerable part of your home.
• Periodically check your washing machine hoses since these hose failures cause millions of dollars of water losses each year.  Hoses should be replaces at the first sign of wear.  Consider upgrading to the heavy duty wire mesh hoses or stainless steel hoses during this replacement.
• Ascertain the location of your main water shutoff valve.  Water shut-off valves should be installed on water lines under toilets & sinks and water lines leading to outside faucets.

Get more personal lines insurance and risk management tips & ideas from IRMI.  Copyright 2010 International Risk Management Institute, Inc.

Contact  www.SparksIns.com  for more helpful ideas to protect your home and personal belongings.

Banking Fraud is a concern for businesses!

    There are perils to using Electronic Banking and Wire Transfers that comes along with the ease of internet banking.  You can expose your company to a loss from criminals.  Your insurance carrier may not provide any coverage for Wire Transfer or Computer Fraud.      In fact, most insurance carriers do not have adequate coverage automatically included or available to protect you in case of loss.     Please call us if you are using banking services over the Internet to review how you can properly protect yourself and how your current policy covers you.  Talk to an agent at Sparks for special programs that can cover you for your expenses should a breach or fraud occure.

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Employment Practices Liability (EPL) is an affordable way for business owners to help protect themselves against claims brought by employees alleging discrimination, wrongful termination or harassment, including sexual harassment.  Your commercial Liability & Workers Compensation policies do not provide you any protect for these types of claims.

An EPL claim can happen to any business. If you have employees, you have a potential for a loss. Any of  these practices can potentially prompt an EPL claim – hiring, performance assessments, payroll decisions and terminations.

Defense:  EPL provides coverage for defense costs (within policy limits) and settlement. Even a groundless claim can cost a business time and money – just asking a law firm to open a file can cost thousands of dollars (and that’s before even getting to a hearing).

Affordable:  EPL coverage is affordable.  Rates are based on the number of full and part-time employees.

Assistance:  Insurers will provide policy holders access to experienced claims professionals and attorneys who specialize in employment law.  You can also have access to loss prevention resources.

Who’s Covered:  Covered parties include the entity, owner, partners, and full-time, part-time, seasonal and temporary employees.  Customers can add third-party EPL coverage for claims brought by customers, clients or vendors for an additional premium.

If you do not have this valuable coverage, call SPARKS INSURANCE  for a proposal today!

Do You Have Flood Insurance?

Did you know the most costly natural disaster we face is flooding?  Most people do not have insurance for flooding.  Please note that Homeowners policies do not cover this cause of loss.  Most insurance carriers will provide coverage by endorsement for backup of sewers and drains or failure of the sump pump system for an additional premium.  Water that enters your home from the surface is not covered with this type of endorsement.

What is a flood?  It is a general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties from overflow of inland waters or unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.

There is a solution to this gap in coverage.  Flood insurance is available from Sparks Insurance and the cost is probably less than you might expect.  It is definitely less than the expense of home repairs and loss to personal property.  If you would like a no-obligation quote, give us a call.  As always, we will be happy to go over any other insurance concerns you may have and answer questions about any of your insurance policies