Schill Insurance News

Boat Theft Prevention Tips

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:13:00 -0700

Summer is always the time when we see a rise in boat thefts. Boats can be easy targets for thieves as they are easily portable and most often the security measures we take aren't good enough. Maybe you arrive home late after spending a long day in the car on your way back from the lake and your only able to unhitch the boat from the truck in order to drive to work on Monday. Or maybe you get the boat locked up but decide to leave all your belongings inside the boat to clean up later. Whatever the case, think of these tips and it will help prevent your boat from being stolen and your insurance rates from going up.

LOCK YOUR BOAT - With a case hardened chain preferably, which cannot be easily cut and padlock to an immovable object at your marina. It might help to make the lock and chain visible to dissuade potential thieves.

TRAILERED BOATS ARE THE MOST COMMON TARGETS - Often stolen in broad daylight from residential driveways and marinas. The best ways to prevent your trailered boat from being stolen is to use a removable tongue hitch, chain the wheels of the trailer or use a wheel lock, chain the trailer to another immovable object and install an alarm. Always a good way to help keep an eye on things if your away is to let your neighbors know you're not going to be home. Also, let them know that you have not given anyone permission to "borrow" the boat.

REMOVE PORTABLE EQUIPMENT FROM YOUR BOAT - During winter storage and whenever possible if your boat is left unattended including electronics, fishing and water sports equipment, outboard motors and dinghies.

In any case, good insurance is essential for protecting your financial interests and boat insurance is no different. Be aware, boat insurance policies are not all the same and may contain security conditions that must be met in order to pay for claims of theft and disappearance. Give us a call if you have any questions about your boat insurance.

Pool Safety

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:16:00 -0700

What a great week of weather we've had and I know we've all gotten a good start to another great summer. Summer for many means backyards, bbq's and of course swimming pools. Way too many people are injured or worse in pools each year so make sure you're doing your part to keep it safe.

Fence the pool area to restrict access when you're not around to supervise.
Never leave children unsupervised and never leave toys floating in the pool as they can be a deadly temptation for toddlers.
Make sure filters and other mechanical devices are in proper working order. In case of emergency be sure to know how to shut these devices off.
Have emergency numbers easily accessible along with a first aid kit, life ring and reaching poles. Give serious consideration to taking a CPR course.
And lastly, clearly understand the ability of all swimmers using your pool as some may need more supervision than others.

For more pool safety and other water safety tips please visit The Lifesaving Society.

Save money on your insurance - Increase your deductible!

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:33:00 -0700

Let's talk a little bit about saving money. We know nobody enjoys buying insurance and a hot tip on how to save is always welcomed by our clients. The tip I'm talking about is in choosing a higher deductible. Everyone needs to look seriously at moving their deductible to a minimum $1,000 per claim. It sounds like a lot, but so are the savings. Often they're substantial enough that in as little as 2 years the savings can offset the higher deductible. As well, you need to remember that insurance isn't a maintenance contract. Don't put in small claims as they'll only end up costing you more in the end. The fact is, many of you probably will never even have an insurance claim so imagine savings of 10 or 15% each year and how much this will add up to over a lifetime. Insurance is there to pay large catastrophe type losses and when those happen, trust me $1,000 won't seem like such a big deal. So call us to increase your deductible and start saving today.

Dealing with one broker

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:42:00 -0700

Today I want to stress the importance of having all your insurance in one place, with one broker. It's not just because we want you to do all your business with us - we do! But giving your broker the opportunity to protect all your risks is in your best interest and ours.

Start by getting to know your broker and make sure they understand all you have going on. Brokers are at their best when they know everything about you. You may have a home which happens to have a suite in it and a pool in the backyard. Maybe a rental property or a seasonal cottage at the lake that you visit only handful of times a year and a nice boat to go along with it which you use for waterskiing and oh ya, you travel outside the province a lot. Sometimes for a day shopping and other times on longer trips to see family or get somewhere warm.

All of these concerns come with their own set of worries and strategies for dealing with them. Many times they overlap each other and often aren't properly protected unless the left hand knows what the right is doing. So please, get all of your insurance in one place. Involve your broker so he or she can be most effective, because doing so will help make sure you don't have any unpleasant surprises and will likely save you few dollars as well.

Possible ICBC rate reduction in November

Mon, 31 May 2010 15:09:00 -0700

ICBC has submitted an application with the BC Utilities Commission which is responsible for regulating basic insurance rates in British Columbia. With the basic rates being unchanged in three of the last five years, ICBC is seeking to reduce basic insurance rates by an average of 1.9%. They also lowered optional rates by 17% over this same period, resulting in many drivers seeing their premiums go down in the last five years. If approved, the rate changes will take effect November 1, 2010.

To learn more about basic ICBC insurance click here.

To learn more about optional ICBC insurance click here.

Insurance advice for Landlords

Tue, 18 May 2010 12:31:00 -0700

Today I have a great tip for landlords of all sizes. Whether you rent out your basement or a 3 level apartment with 50 suites - this is for you. Are you ready?

MAKE SURE YOUR TENANTS CARRY INSURANCE!

Here are two reasons for making sure they do;

1.) If you don't, you're likely assuming liability for the actions of your tenants which could mean lengthy hassles and lawsuits from 3^rdparties through no fault of your own.

2.) If your suite should have a water damage claim, your coverage as a landlord doesn't cover the expense of removing and documenting the tenants property. So what happens then? Well, you either wait until the tenant removes all his or her belongings or, you remove it at your own time and expense and try to recover it from your tenant - and we all know how well that usually goes.

Waiting for the tenant means valuable time is lost that could have been spent preventing further damage and getting the suite restored and rented again.

So do yourself a favour and make sure it's a condition of renting or leasing. Give us a call and we'll be happy to help you put together the insurance requirements in your next lease or rental agreement.

Insurance tips when buying a new home

Thu, 13 May 2010 11:04:00 -0700

We all know buying a home is an exciting time, but it's also stressful and hectic which can mean overlooking things like insurance.

Make sure when writing an offer to include insurance as one of your subjects. Overlooking this can sometimes mean incurring huge additional expense to make the home insurable.

There are a number of things one needs to consider, especially when it comes to older homes.

1. What kind of electrical system does it have? Fuses, knob and tube? Is the panel big enough to handle planned renovations?
2. How about the water lines? Are they copper, plastic or something different?
3. Also think about wood burning stoves, fireplace inserts, maybe a fuel tank leftover from an old heating system and has the home ever had a grow op?

All of these are important facts that need to be considered before completing on any home. Lastly, be sure you leave at least a week for your insurance broker to organize and place protection. Most times we can arrange it same day but special circumstances may require longer. Especially if there's a mortgage on the property as nothing will happen until the bank has confirmed protection is in place.

If you have any questions about buying a new home or seliing your existing home, please give us a call we will be happy to answer your questions.

Schill Insurance a proud sponsor of Nite of Hope 2010

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:36:00 -0700

Once again, Schill Insurance is a proud silver sponsor of the White Rock / South Surrey Nite of Hope! On Thursday April 5, 2010, Nite of Hope will host their 5th annual gala at Centennial Arena in White Rock.

"Since 2006 our community has embraced Nite of Hope enabling us to provide support and encouragement to survivors as well as raising much needed funds for continued research. During this time, the gala has grown with the help and support of many wonderful sponsors, community partners, local businesses and merchants. To date we have raised over $400,000 with all proceeds going to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF). Our greatest HOPE is that in 2010 we will exceed our initial goal of raising $500,000 in five years."

Beginning July 1st, all vehicles whether bought from an individual or a dealership will be subject to the same harmonized tax of 12 percent.

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 09:30:00 -0700

You had to know this was coming! Since the inception of the GST, vehicles sold privately have been exempt from GST. This has been a contentious issue with dealerships as many argued it encouraged buyers to look to individual owners thus saving the additional tax. Well all is square now. Beginning July 1^st, all vehicles whether bought from an individual or a dealership will be subject to the same harmonized tax of 12 percent.

Collecting of this tax is not the responsibility of the seller. As before, all taxes will be collected by the licensed auto dealership at the time of sale or by the Autoplan broker at the time of transfer and licensing.

Check out http://www.gov.bc.ca/hst/ for further details on the new HST.

Against the law to use hand-held devices while driving in B.C.

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:05:00 -0800

It's now against the law to use hand-held cell phones and other hand-held communication and entertainment devices while driving on B.C. roads.
Any violation will net drivers a $167 fine, ouch. If you're caught dialing, texting or emailing, three points will also be added to your record.

Drivers in the Graduated Licensing Program are prohibited from using all hand-held and hands-free devices while driving, and will be fined $167, plus get 3 points, if they're caught.

Don't worry though; you can dial 9-1-1 from a hand-held cell phone in the event of an emergency. To find out more about what is and is not allowed, visit: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/osmv/publications/docs/electronic-devices-while-driving-info.pdf