Wow! Did I hear 47 inches of snow in one week here in Philly?
There are several things you should do to prevent claims on your auto and home insurance.
Your auto insurance:
- Since many back streets are still snow covered and that snow is packed and like ice, you need to allow a lot more time to stop. Also, be aware of your surroundings and think about your options should you start to slide. This happened to me a few years back when I was driving into a busy intersection and slid down the hill. I was headed right for the busy cross street but was able to turn my car into the curb to stop my car. That could have been a disaster.
- Also remember that the snow becomes very hard after a couple days. The melting during the day followed by the freezing at night makes the piles of snow the equivalent of a stone wall. Remember this when you are parking or backing out of your driveway. The snow which earlier was soft now is rock hard and can cause severe damage to the body of your car. Also watch the undercarriage of your car. The snow that has been accumulating and not plowed is also becoming hard and could do serious damage to the undercarriage of your car.
- Clear all the snow off your vehicle. I saw a van yesterday that had about a foot of snow on the top of the van. This snow becomes hard and when it blows off your car and hits the car behind you could cause a serious injury to that driver. (Not to mention that PA passed a law last year which fines a driver if snow from their car damages another car.)
- With this much snow the plows have pushed the snow to the side of the roads. Many times this makes the inside lane more narrow. Be aware of this as you drive.
Your Homeowner’s Insurance:
- Remove the snow from your decks and the roof of your garage and shed. Snow becomes very heavy and could cause a deck, garage or shed to collapse. Remove the snow if you can do it safely.
- Look at the trees in your yard to make sure the trees are not bent over and scraping your home due to the heavy load of snow on them.
- Clear your walks and make sure you put some salt down. The snow melts during the day and the water can freeze at night.
- Make sure all your outside drains and sewers are not blocked by snow. If the snow melts this could cause a flood.
- If you have a fire hydrant near your home make sure that you shovel out the hydrant so the fire company can respond faster to a fire.
With more snow in the forecast it is time to be proactive to prevent losses.
If you have Teen Drivers, this is a great time to take them out in the snow so they can practice. Start in a deserted parking lot first so the teen driver can get comfortable in the snow.
It is time to shoot the ground hog! I don’t think I can handle six more weeks of a winter like this.
For more tips check out our website: www.spencerinsurance.com
For Teen Driver tips check out our website at: www.teendriverinsurance.com/spencer
