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Your Yearly Disaster Preparation Check-Up

Aug 30, 2020
2016 was a very unfortunate year for the United States. In the span of that single year, the country went through 19 different flooding events, which is the most in recorded history. This misfortune continued all the way to 2017, when a series of wildfires besieged many residents and their homes in the West. The Atlantic and Gulf coasts struggling with category 4 and 5 hurricanes further exacerbated the problems.

This is why now, more than ever, people should be thinking long and hard about their disaster-preparedness. Not having a plan could lead to dire consequences if you find yourself in the middle of a disaster. It is a good idea to conduct yearly disaster preparedness check-ups. To help you get started, here are a few things that you should keep in mind:

Prepare and Check Emergency Kits

Each person should have his or her own emergency kit. This is a kit that contains basic emergency supplies and food that a person can carry, in case there is a need to evacuate and move to a safer place. The kit should include non-perishable food, potable water, first aid kits, a communication device, batteries, and some basic tools. If you already have an emergency kit, it is also important to regularly check the expiration dates of the items, just to ensure that they are not expired when needed.



Prepare and Update Your Emergency Plan

In the event of an emergency or a disaster, you need to have a plan. This means every person in the household should know what to do, what to bring, and where to go. Always plot out multiple escape routes and a meeting place in case you get separated. You also need to consider the fact that different members of the family may have trouble getting around on their own, such as the elderly and little kids. So make sure to assign them to more capable family members.



Learn How to Turn Off Utilities

You need to teach family members where the utilities are and how to shut them off. In the event of an emergency, you may need to turn off the gas mains and the electricity in order to avoid fires or explosions. There are also times when the water main needs to be turned off in order to avoid flooding the home.

Observe Home Safety All Year Round

Home safety should be practiced all throughout the year and not just during emergencies. Install alarms, smoke detectors, and locks at your home. Regularly check wires and the gas mains for any leaks or damage, and replace smoke alarm batteries every six months. You also need to ensure that flammable objects and chemicals are kept in safe places far away from potential sources of sparks.



Get Insurance

Choosing your insurance policy should be the first step in getting ready for a natural disaster. Click this link for information on determining if you have enough insurance http://www.mercuryinsurance.com/tips/home-insurance-information.html. We recommend that you review your insurance at each renewal to make sure that you have the proper coverages.

Catalog Your Property

Lastly, it is important to know that recovering from a disaster can be a chaotic endeavor. You can make the process so much easier by cataloging your property and updating it regularly. Not only will this help you put things back to the way they were, the photos and lists of your property will also make the claim process easier for both you and your insurance adjuster. Mashable, a technology blog, makes the process easier by providing a list of eight inventory apps http://mashable.com/2013/03/24/home-inventory-apps/#.



Preparing for disaster is an important investment in protecting your property and ensuring your family’s safety and peace of mind.

Home Insurance Claims: What to Do After a Disaster Strikes

By Jerry Smith • 19 Feb, 2024
When a disaster strikes, whether it's a fire, storm, or burglary, your home and belongings can suffer significant damage. In such unfortunate circumstances, knowing what to do after a disaster is crucial. This blog post will guide you through the necessary steps to take after a disaster strikes and how to navigate the home insurance claims process smoothly.

AUTO INSURANCE ADD-ONS: EXPLORING ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OPTIONS

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Understanding Umbrella Insurance: What It Is and Who Needs It

By Jerry Smith • 06 Apr, 2023
When it comes to protecting your assets and finances, having adequate insurance coverage is essential. While most people are familiar with auto, home, and health insurance policies, there's another type of insurance that's often overlooked - umbrella insurance. In this post, we'll explain what umbrella insurance is, who needs it, and why it's important to consider.

Post-Pandemic Distracted Driving

02 Jul, 2022
Dangerous distracted driving continues across the U.S., and it might have increased in the busy post-pandemic period, as one new study shows. Commercial drivers are part of the problem, as well as a key to the solution, according to the trucking insurance company that performed the survey. Are you back to driving on the roads POST-PANDEMIC as part of your employment? If you are, you are most likely feeling STRESSED, PRESSURED and CONCERNED about meeting your employers’ expectations. Recent reports are showing that 30% of drivers are feeling more anxious and 54% of drivers are feeling distracted and aggressive while driving. A risk survey from Travelers suggest that work-related pressure might be leading to distracted driving. Expectations are high and so everyone is feeling pressured.  Here are some helpful ideas for employers and employees: Communicate with your boss. 68% of employers report that they have official driving/texting/phone usage policies in place. Find out the expectation. Encourage Best Practices. A full 56% of consumers admit to reading a text or email while driving. Decide before you get behind the wheel what you are going to do. Speak Up. Only 11% of passengers have actually spoken up to co-workers when they feel unsafe due to a driver’s distraction. Let your employer know what to expect. Lead by Example. Don’t call or text your employees when they are driving.

Are You a Small Business Owner?

05 Apr, 2022
If you are like us, we are grateful to be in business and have the opportunity to serve our community. General Insurance Services is always looking for opportunities to support other small business owners and we wanted to let you know that Mercury Insurance does too! Mercury proudly offers a variety of insurance protection specifically designed for business owners. Mercury has policies to help with your Commercial Auto, Apartments, Residential Condominium HOAs, Commercial Buildings, Restaurants and Small Businesses. The affordable insurance offered by Mercury offers best in class coverage and allows for peace of mind.  Working together, we can support each other. General Insurance has been serving the small business community over 75 years now. Let us know how we can help you.

Broken Pipe or Flooded Yard

21 Jan, 2022
Our neighbors work hard at maintaining the front yard of their property. It’s beautiful to look at and always decorated for the Holidays. Just after Christmas the yard was still decorated for Christmas but it was also filled with dirt, pipes, mud and a tractor. It was concerning.  We tried to help. We brought Dinner, helped take down the Christmas decorations and even helped level the ground once the broken pipe was located and repaired. It was an opportunity to be a good neighbor but we could have been a better neighbor if we had spoken to them earlier about the Service Line Protection Endorsement offered by Mercury with their Homeowners Policy. Did you know that it is Your responsibility to repair or replace any service lines on your property that connect with municipality lines when the damage occurs on your residence property? Did you also know that your Standard Homeowners Policy does not provide coverage for these lines and they can be costly to repair? Service Line Protection, a new enhancement to the Mercury homeowners policy offers coverage for service lines to the insured-owned, exterior and underground Water piping, Sewer piping, Ground loop piping, and power lines that provide electrical service. The best part is that it costs just a few $$ per month. Be a good neighbor, be a good homeowner, talk to us, your MERCURY AGENT about how we can help. Ask us about Service Line Protection.

Teen Drivers – Safety & Savings

21 Jan, 2022
There’s a lot to think about when teens begin to drive. As local insurance agents and the parents of 7 children we know a little about the best way to help those teens get safely on the road. Mercury has given us a few tips to consider when teens get behind the wheel. Establish a pre-start car routine that includes adjusting mirrors and driving position. Practice. Practice. Practice. Keep calm. Talk to your teen as you drive. Burgers, Instagram, texting and anything else that can distract you while driving can wait. Go to drivesafe.mercuryinsurance.com to learn more. If you are looking to keep your teen safe AND save money here are a few more tips. Teens can do their part by doing well in school and maintaining a 3.0 grade point average or better. No tickets, no accidents Drive a vehicle with a smaller engine Enroll in a driving class Bundle your policies to get a discount Reduce the number of miles you drive Increase your deductible to lower your premium; and Install an anti-theft security system on your vehicle. As your local Mercury agent, we can help you find out what it will cost to insure your teen. Give us a call and let General Insurance Services help you, and them, get started 949-661-2201

What Can We Do For You?

By Jerry Smith • 05 Sep, 2021
What Can We Do For You? We Have 2 Main Objectives in Our Office: 1) To be of service to you. 2) To match your insurance needs to the best policy available at the best price available. We are a multi-generational family owned Insurance agency. Barbara’s father, Herb Brown started the business in 1947 in the basement of Barbara’s childhood home wth the same two objectives. We would love the opportunity to show you why we are still in business nearly 75 years later. Give us a call at 949) 661-2201 and you will always reach us directly if you call M-F between 8:30 A.M – 5:30 P.M. You can also see more of our story on our web site www.gen-ins.com

Vehicle Safety Tip

26 Feb, 2021
Vehicle Safety Tip This is a simple one and will take less than 5 minutes to complete. When you are done you will have one less thing to worry about! Want To Try It? Get a penny, place it Head First into your tire several tread grooves towards the center. If you see the top of Lincoln’s head, your tread is shallow and worn. It is Time to replace your tires. If part of Lincoln’s head is covered by the tread, you have depth remaining and can wait a few months to try the test again. Easy! One less thing to worry about. Now you have extra time to call us and see what we can do to save you money on your Auto Insurance. We would love to talk to you, we have been in business almost 75 years and we are good at what we do. Callus at (949) 661-2201.
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