Author: AgentInsure

Organizing Hacks You Never Thought Of

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Everyone loves a neat and tidy space but sometimes organizing can be a bit overwhelming and can take up a great deal of time. With the right tips however you can have a neat and tidy space that rivals those you see in magazines.

The key to great organization is to create a space for the things you need to organize, if its shoes, only put shoes there, if it is books do the same, there is no way to properly organize if you are putting everything you own in one space. The first step is to take the time and really think about where you want things to go. Think about where you are when you use them most often, where you are when you put them away, and other factors like that.

A great example is shoes when you enter or exit your home. A shoe rack is great but it can be unsightly. Using totes, shelves, or hidden storage is a great way to keep shoes up off the floor and put away. Try using a coat pegs about four inches off the floor as a place to hang your shoes to get them up and out of the way.

Another great organizing tip is to take your time. Taking your time is going to give you the chance to make logical decisions that are going to help with the organizing process. Take your closet for example, if you wear t-shirts, it is only logical that they be easy to access. Take the time to think out your organization. A great way to organize your closet and make more space is to use shower curtain rings on the necks of your hangers so that you can hang multiple hangers in one space.

Safechoice Insurance Agency wishes you happy organizing.

Rules to set up for your teen driver

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The more experience you have, the better you will become. That is a general truth for just about anything, including driving. Due to the extreme lack of experience, your teen driver will slowly learn more and more as they spend more time on the road. While allowing your teen to drive is important, as it builds up their skill sets, you also need to set boundaries and rules to keep your child safe, whether driving in Rochester, MN or anywhere else, for that matter. At Safechoice Insurance Agency, we do everything in our power to keep your child safe while driving. It is why we have a few rule recommendations to set up regarding your teenager. 

No Texting or Calling

Texting is a major distraction. Whether texting, using an app or just about anything else on the phone, even an experienced driver can struggle using a phone and driving at the same time. Due to this, you need to set up a no texting or calling rule while driving. How do you enforce this though? There are applications available, including from your mobile service provider, that prevents texting and calling while the GPS detects driving movement. Consider installing one of these apps. 

Who They Can Drive With

Limiting the number of distractions your teen driver faces is important. This is also true with their passengers. You need to know who they drive with and, almost more importantly, the number of people in the car. Limit their driving to just friends you know and also keep the number of passengers they are driving around to a minimum. 

Curfew

Set a curfew for when they need to be back with the car. Nighttime driving brings about all sorts of new problems and distractions, so you need to make sure to monitor this. 

How To Find Your Next Used Family Car

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The safety of your family is very important, which is why many people spend some time looking for their family car. Unfortunately, your family car will not last forever and at some point, you will need to look for another one. Many families want to look for a quality used family car so that they can save some money. This is a great idea as long as you use some precautions while shopping. Before you go out and buy the first one you find, use these tips to find the best one to fit your needs and budget. 

  • It is easy to find a cheap family car when it is several years old. However, just because it is cheap does not mean that it is a good idea. Before you buy it because the price is low, be sure to measure the age against the price. You want to find a common ground where both the age and the price makes sense for your plans. 
  • Get an independent mechanic to take a look at the car before your purchase. Take it to someone of your choosing, not of the dealer’s choosing. You may be able to get the inspection done for free but be expected to pay around $100 if not. It is $100 well spent because you will get an unbiased opinion of the vehicle. If they say no to the vehicle, then you probably should too. 
  • Keep your emotions out of the decision. You can get emotional about a vehicle after you purchase it but do not make a decision based off of emotions alone. Use your logic during this type of transaction. 

Once you get your next great family vehicle, protect yourself and your family with a great auto insurance policy. Contact us at Safechoice Insurance Agency today to get started. 

Springtime Safety Tips for your Home

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After a long hard winter, most families look forward to spring when flowers begin blooming once more, and the songs and sounds of birds grow louder each new day of spring. This could be a very exciting time for home owners as they look forward to tree and shrub plantings, and gardening activities.

End of winter hibernation 

 Many home owners are also happy to emerge from what may appear like hibernation from their homes and start venturing outside once more. In the midst of this enthusiasm, there are certain important spring safety tips that every home owners should consider. This article discusses spring safety tips for your home.

Safety of Your home is paramount

Change of season oftentimes requires periodic physical checkups for your home.  Here is a list of things to check in your home to make sure they are in optimal condition.

  • Check all the smoke detectors to make sure they are all in great working condition. Change batteries if need be.
  • Check all door locks both from inside and outside the home.
  • Check your garage locks; consider installing deadbolts with outside access on all doors.
  • Install motion sensors. It not only increases security of your family it also deters criminals from attempting to break into your home.
  • Are your shrubs trimmed? This is the time to trim and cut them to size, so they don’t shield burglars when they attempt to break into your home.
  • Clean your garage. Collect all important paper documents and file and store them in fire resistant safes. This will keep your documents safe and reduce fire hazards in your home.
  • Install a security system in your home. If you don’t have one, and you have often procrastinated in doing this, this spring is a great time to get this done. Security systems can lower your Home Insurance premiums

 Securing your Home Insurance

This is the most important tip of all. Home or property insurance is vital to every homeowner. If you live in the Rochester MN area contact a reliable home insurance provider – Safechoice Insurance Agency to discuss your insurance needs. 

How to Talk to your Landlord about Doing some Kitchen DIY Projects

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At times, living in a rental house can be frustrating. You may feel as though you have no control over what can be done in the space where you are living. While this is true to a certain extent, there are some landlords who would be more than willing to help out with a few small changes to enhance the home. They key to getting the go ahead with changes to your Rochester, MN rental can be found here.

Be honest

Don’t try to make the changes and then tell the landlord what is going on. Even if they are for the better, if they are not approved by the landlord, in writing, it may cost you. There are laws in place, in some areas that will put all the liability on the person who made the changes, if they were not approved. Chances are, if it is a reasonable request, your landlord will say yes.

Discuss added value

If the landlord seems hesitant to give you the go ahead to make these changes, talk to them about how much value this update could add to the property. In most cases, this will encourage them  to say yes to the changes.

Always get it in writing

Even if you have a great relationship with your landlord, you never know what is going to happen down the road. This is why you should get any approved changes in writing. This will help protect you in the long run.

Regardless of if you make changes to the space or not, ensuring your belongings are protected is a must. Contact the Safechoice Insurance Agency in Rochester, MN to learn more about the coverage you need.

 

 

Disaster Preparedness Tips For Your House

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When you live in Rochester, Minnesota, it’s always a good idea to prepare your house for any kind of disaster. This includes fires, snowstorms, and anything else where you could be potentially stuck inside your home for several days, or even evacuated. A few tips can go a long way to making sure you are ready.

Have Food

It may sound obvious, but you want to have food in the house. 3-5 days’ worth can make a difference if you are ever stuck inside and cannot get out to the store. You should also have nonperishable items that can be eaten without being heated. Great items include peanut butter, protein bars, MREs, and trail mixes.

Buy Lighting

Buy sufficient lighting for all rooms of the house that isn’t dependent on electricity. This can include flashlights as well as wind-up lanterns. Avoid candles and such as the open flame can end up causing a fire.

Know About Fire Safety

Teach everyone about fire safety and have fire extinguishers in the house. Also ensure you have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the house that are in working order.

Light Up Your Front Entry

Keep your front entry well-lit and properly locked so you can deter burglaries and break-ins.

Have Extra Batteries

Extra batteries are a good idea not only for flashlights and a radio, but also for toys for the kids. If you lose power, they are going to want their toys and you want to make sure they have a way of keeping themselves busy.

Call Safechoice Insurance Agency today and find out how you can protect your home with a good homeowner’s insurance policy. Our agents can get quotes from some of the top companies in Minnesota and answer any questions you have along the way.

 

Avoid Motorcycle Theft Using These Tips

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Motorcycle theft happens more often than people would like or even care to admit. It is relatively easy to steal a bike if it is not properly secured. For motorcycle owners, however, it is always a good idea to practice precaution to ensure that their property remains their property. Use these tips to keep your motorcycle safe and prevent theft. 

  • Install a tracking system on your motorcycle before anything can happen. In the case that your motorcycle is stolen, you can easily track it and have a better chance of recovering it before anything bad happens to it. It is not enough to simply rely on alarms that are built in anymore because most people do not pay attention to car or motorcycle alarms anyway. Do yourself a favor and develop a better system to protect your motorcycle. 
  • When parking in public, choose the parking spot wisely. You may be tempted to park in the spot that is surrounded by other cars because it might provide some visibility shelter. However, this is not the best place to park your motorcycle because if someone wants to steal it, they can also do so without many, if any, people seeing them. Instead, always park it where it is visible and near to a security camera or light if available. 
  • Keep your motorcycle out of sight when at home. If you can, park it in a garage. If you do not have a garage, park it where it cannot be easily seen and cover it up with a cover that blends in. 

Even with the best-laid plans, there is always still a possibility that someone will try to steal your motorcycle. The best option you have would be to ensure you have motorcycle proper insurance. Contact Safechoice Insurance Agency serving Rochester, MN to explore your options. 

3 Ways to Stay Safe Around Bicycles at Night

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Thanks to a number of factors, there are more people than ever using bicycles instead of cars or trucks.  While this is great for the environment and the bicyclist’s wallets, bicycles on the road can be a hazard.  This is especially true at night when bicyclists are harder to see. Follow these tips to make sure you keep them and you safe on the road at night. 

  1. Be on the lookout for bicyclists.  It may seem obvious, but even after you have passed a bicyclist it’s important that you stay aware of him or her.  A sudden stop or change in his or her direction may mean that you need to stop your vehicle.  The more aware you are of the bicyclist, the easier it will be to stop in time.
  2. Give them some space.  Most bicycle accidents occur when a car hits a bicycle from the rear.  In many of these cases, the car was going around the corner, or was simply following the bike too closely.  By giving bicyclists enough space on roads without bike lanes, you’ll reduce the risk of striking them.
  3. Make sure your vehicle is visible.  Make sure that you have your headlights on during at night.  On country roads, use your bright lights.  This allows bicyclists to see you and for you to see bicyclists.

Being in an accident with a bicyclist can be one of the scariest and most costly events in your life.  That’s why it’s important for residents of Rochester, MN to make sure that they are protected with a good auto insurance policy.  Call the insurance agents at Safechoice Insurance Agency to discuss your coverage.

Why Independent Insurance Agents Matter

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No matter what type of insurance you’re looking to get for yourself or your family, making final coverage decisions can be difficult and complicated. In many cases, consumers assume that their best option is to go through one of the major companies they’ve seen advertised on TV, the majority of which are direct-writer insurance companies whose employees focus predominantly on bringing business to a single company. There is another option, however: an independent insurance agency (like Safechoice Insurance Agency), whose agents work one-on-one with customers to discuss their insurance options and legalities in greater detail. Independent insurance agents can also direct you to a variety of insurance companies rather than a single entity, depending on which is best for you. 

In their capacity as individuals representing the needs of the consumer, independent agents are well-versed in state law and strive to stay up-to-date with any changes. Because different types of insurance laws vary from state to state, it is important to make sure that they are always properly considered with regard to one’s situation and insurance needs. With so many subtleties and potential legal trouble if you do not have the appropriate insurance to meet state laws, it is quite convenient for you and your loved ones to be able to leverage the expertise of an independent agent who not only knows the law but can compare coverage for you. 

If you are looking for auto, home, commercial, life or other types of insurance, consider discussing your needs and options with an independent agent from Safechoice Insurance Agency. Your Safechoice Insurance agent will be able to work with you and your state’s laws (Safechoice Insurance Agency currently serves both Minnesota and Wisconsin) to determine the best, most affordable coverage options for you.

Tips for Revamping Your Winter Driving Skills

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It doesn’t matter how long you have been driving in winter weather, there are always a few tips you can follow to make sure you’re as safe as possible. More importantly, these safety tips can help ensure that your family and passengers are safe while traveling in hazardous winter weather conditions. It’s imperative that you follow these tips as they can keep your insurance rates low, as well. Here’s a close look at three tips everyone should follow when driving in winter weather in Rochester. 

Add more distance between you and other vehicles

When driving in normal weather conditions, you’ll want to keep anywhere from two to five car links between you and any vehicles in front of you. In winter weather driving conditions, though, you’ll want to double this amount of space. Remember, the slicker the roads are, the more space you’ll need to come to a stop without hitting the vehicle in front of. It’s especially important to slow down around curves, too, because there’s the possibility that your car could slide sideways. 

Pay extra attention to the roadway

Driving down the road and listening to music is quite okay in normal driving conditions, but when traveling in winter weather, you’ll want to keep the radio turned down and have absolutely no distractions. The farther ahead you can keep your eyes on the road, the better prepared you will be if you need to avoid an accident. 

Know when to stay home

If there are reports of lots of accidents taking place on the roadways you’re needing/wanting to travel on, this is a good sign to just stay at home. If you have to get out, though, make sure to go well below the speed limit. 

Want more tips on driving in winter weather? If so, contact the Safechoice Insurance Agency today.