It’s cold outside! Really cold! But, there is a good reason to stand guard at the fuel pump the next time you have to fill your car at the gas station. It’s called static-related fire.
We have all had experiences with static electricity. For example, when a dryer sheet sticks to our favorite blanket out of the warm dryer and makes those tiny sparks as we try to separate them. The same principle occurs when we are entering or exiting our driver seats. We tend to slide across the seat and generate static. When we return to the pump, a single spark generated by the static electricity can trigger a disaster and ignite the gasoline vapors near the fuel dispenser, causing a flash fire.
Reduce static problems at the pump by staying outside your car as you fuel up, especially during cold, dry weather. Always discharge your “static” before fueling, too, by touching something metal with your bare hand before touching the pump.
Monday, January 3, 2011
No Pressure Driving
Nothing is worse than a car break down when it’s jaw-chattering cold outside. Just thinking about it makes me shiver! Taking steps now to prepare your car for the winter can save your car (and your teeth).
One big step in preparing your car for the cold is to have your tire pressure checked. Since tire pressure drops when temperatures cool down, your tires could be dangerously low on air and could jeopardize your car’s handling, which could lead to more road accidents. In fact, tire pressure is so important to your safety, that as of 2008, tire pressure monitors are required on all new vehicles. (Older cars don’t have them, so you’ll need to check the pressure manually.)
A word of caution, though: over-inflating your tires won’t do you any good either. Not having your tires at their recommended pressure will negatively affect not only your tire’s wear, but more importantly your vehicle performance and your ability to drive safely.
One big step in preparing your car for the cold is to have your tire pressure checked. Since tire pressure drops when temperatures cool down, your tires could be dangerously low on air and could jeopardize your car’s handling, which could lead to more road accidents. In fact, tire pressure is so important to your safety, that as of 2008, tire pressure monitors are required on all new vehicles. (Older cars don’t have them, so you’ll need to check the pressure manually.)
A word of caution, though: over-inflating your tires won’t do you any good either. Not having your tires at their recommended pressure will negatively affect not only your tire’s wear, but more importantly your vehicle performance and your ability to drive safely.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Professional Liability Coverage
Attention: Nurses, EMT’s, Counselors, Teachers, and all medical and educational professionals! You may need to consider getting additional coverage to fully protect yourself!
Claims against medical and educational professionals continue to increase and you can be sued even when striving to do all the right things. The O’Neill Group is proud to offer liability insurance to Professionals that can be added right onto your homeowners policy.
Professional Liability will pay if you become legally liable for an injury due to an alleged act or omission, whether you are working for your company or when furnishing services on your own time, which will NOT be covered by your employer’s policy.
Accidents can happen, and you can practice your profession with confidence knowing you will be defended, even if a suit is groundless or fraudulent. And the best part is it’s easy and inexpensive – anywhere from $25 to $100 depending on your profession. Get the protection you need and deserve at a very affordable cost.
Claims against medical and educational professionals continue to increase and you can be sued even when striving to do all the right things. The O’Neill Group is proud to offer liability insurance to Professionals that can be added right onto your homeowners policy.
Professional Liability will pay if you become legally liable for an injury due to an alleged act or omission, whether you are working for your company or when furnishing services on your own time, which will NOT be covered by your employer’s policy.
Accidents can happen, and you can practice your profession with confidence knowing you will be defended, even if a suit is groundless or fraudulent. And the best part is it’s easy and inexpensive – anywhere from $25 to $100 depending on your profession. Get the protection you need and deserve at a very affordable cost.
Key Employee Coverage
Do you have an employee you truly can’t live without? For example, does “Bob” hold the “secret recipe” to your “special sauce?” Of course this is an over-simplified example, but it brings an important concept to light: anticipating the loss of a truly valuable employee.
If your business is dependent upon the expertise or knowledge of a particular person in your company, you should also consider obtaining “Key Person” protection. This type of plan helps to compensate a business for financial losses due to the death or long term disability of a key person. Remember, key employees aren’t necessarily just the management team. You may have key people you depend on to sell to specific clients, or who have other special skills and duties that no one else in your company currently performs.
Would it be business-as-usual without YOUR “secret recipe” holder? If the answer is no, then contact our office today to find out more about obtaining key employee insurance for your most important asset - your staff.
If your business is dependent upon the expertise or knowledge of a particular person in your company, you should also consider obtaining “Key Person” protection. This type of plan helps to compensate a business for financial losses due to the death or long term disability of a key person. Remember, key employees aren’t necessarily just the management team. You may have key people you depend on to sell to specific clients, or who have other special skills and duties that no one else in your company currently performs.
Would it be business-as-usual without YOUR “secret recipe” holder? If the answer is no, then contact our office today to find out more about obtaining key employee insurance for your most important asset - your staff.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Commercial Drivers Texting Ban
If you had been watching news programming last summer, you probably saw a clip of a bus driver in Texas who caused an accident by paying more attention to his phone than to the road in front of him. If you didn’t catch the clip, check out the incredible video that shows it all caught on tape at: www.oneillinsurance.com/texting.html.
Texting while driving is a major distraction and risks lives. Data compiled last year by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration states that texting drivers take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 out of every six seconds. This means that at 55 mph a texting driver travels the length of a football field without looking at the road.
And, that’s exactly why the U.S. Department of Transportation has put in place a ban on texting for all commercial truck and bus drivers. Your company and your employees driving your commercial vehicles can be held liable for violating this ban and can be subject to stiff penalties and fines on top of any damages and injuries he/she may cause in the process.
Our best advice is to make sure that your employees are aware of the new regulations and the dangers of texting while driving. Make it known that texting won’t be tolerated while they are operating your company vehicles.
Texting while driving is a major distraction and risks lives. Data compiled last year by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration states that texting drivers take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 out of every six seconds. This means that at 55 mph a texting driver travels the length of a football field without looking at the road.
And, that’s exactly why the U.S. Department of Transportation has put in place a ban on texting for all commercial truck and bus drivers. Your company and your employees driving your commercial vehicles can be held liable for violating this ban and can be subject to stiff penalties and fines on top of any damages and injuries he/she may cause in the process.
Our best advice is to make sure that your employees are aware of the new regulations and the dangers of texting while driving. Make it known that texting won’t be tolerated while they are operating your company vehicles.
Don’t Let The Grinch Steal Your Identity!
Avoiding Scammers at The Holidays
When we think about theft, we often find ourselves picturing thieves stealing our belongings, much like the Grinch did to the poor residents of Whooville. However, The Grinch had nothing on the sophisticated thieves around today. These new scammers employ advanced tactics to obtain access to your personal information and credit. Their ploys can spell disaster for you and your family should you fall victim to one of their schemes.
“Spoofing," or "phishing," frauds attempt to make internet users believe that they are receiving e-mail from a specific, trusted source or that they are connected to a trusted web site, when that is not the case. For example, you may receive an email that prompts you to shop at your favorite online store for holiday gifts… only to find out that the link is not to the “real” store at all, but to a “spoof” site instead. The phonies will never send your purchase, but instead steal your credit card information and possibly your entire identity.
Many scammers’ websites and emails may look to be authentic. Here is some sound advice to follow in order to protect yourself from becoming a victim:
If it sounds too good to be true... it most likely is. Don’t be afraid to question the offer or the instructions.
If you encounter an unsolicited e-mail that asks you either directly, or through a website, for personal financial or identity information, exercise extreme caution.
If a website address is unfamiliar, it's likely that it is not real. Only use the website addresses that you have used before. Spoof sites usually have an excessively long strong of characters in the header, with the legitimate business name somewhere in the string, or possibly not at all.
Most companies require you to log in to a secure site before you provide financial information.
Most importantly, if you have doubts about an email or website’s legitimacy, contact the company directly by phone. Odds are good that you will find you just avoided a scam.
To find out more about internet threats, we invite you to visit www.ic3.gov, where you can learn about the latest scams or file a complaint about a scammer. We also encourage you to check your free credit reports on occasion to make sure that
When we think about theft, we often find ourselves picturing thieves stealing our belongings, much like the Grinch did to the poor residents of Whooville. However, The Grinch had nothing on the sophisticated thieves around today. These new scammers employ advanced tactics to obtain access to your personal information and credit. Their ploys can spell disaster for you and your family should you fall victim to one of their schemes.
“Spoofing," or "phishing," frauds attempt to make internet users believe that they are receiving e-mail from a specific, trusted source or that they are connected to a trusted web site, when that is not the case. For example, you may receive an email that prompts you to shop at your favorite online store for holiday gifts… only to find out that the link is not to the “real” store at all, but to a “spoof” site instead. The phonies will never send your purchase, but instead steal your credit card information and possibly your entire identity.
Many scammers’ websites and emails may look to be authentic. Here is some sound advice to follow in order to protect yourself from becoming a victim:
If it sounds too good to be true... it most likely is. Don’t be afraid to question the offer or the instructions.
If you encounter an unsolicited e-mail that asks you either directly, or through a website, for personal financial or identity information, exercise extreme caution.
If a website address is unfamiliar, it's likely that it is not real. Only use the website addresses that you have used before. Spoof sites usually have an excessively long strong of characters in the header, with the legitimate business name somewhere in the string, or possibly not at all.
Most companies require you to log in to a secure site before you provide financial information.
Most importantly, if you have doubts about an email or website’s legitimacy, contact the company directly by phone. Odds are good that you will find you just avoided a scam.
To find out more about internet threats, we invite you to visit www.ic3.gov, where you can learn about the latest scams or file a complaint about a scammer. We also encourage you to check your free credit reports on occasion to make sure that
Monday, November 22, 2010
Deck The Halls Like a Wiseman
We’ve all thought “It won’t happen to me.” Or, “It’ll be fine for a while.” But, the fact is that just one unwise decision or one moment’s distraction could cost you damage, or even total destruction, of your home or office.
It’s so easy to get caught up in festivities and joy of the holiday season, and to let safety guidelines take back seat to decorating. When you are preparing your place for the holidays, remember to keep these few wise ideas in mind:
- Never leave burning candles unattended, and be sure to put them out before heading to bed.
- Check your light strands before plugging them in, for tears, rips and fraying. Replace any damaged lights and chords.
- Never overload an electrical socket with lights or other decorations.
- Do not place heaters, candles, or hot items near your live or artificial trees. They are highly flammable.
- Practice ladder safety when putting up outdoor lights, and make sure the lights are rated for outdoor use.
- Keep Mistletoe, Holly, Poinsettia and other holiday plants from pets and children.
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