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Smoking Candle

Candle Safety Tips

For homeowners who use candles, taking extra care can mean the difference between a comforting, pleasant experience and a damaging fire. Learn more about how the dangers of candle-based fires, as well as how to safely burn candles in your home.

Home Safety & Advice

Flaming Grill

Summer Grilling Safety Tips

To make sure your outdoor entertaining goes exactly as planned, make sure to take a few extra precautions before firing up that grill.

Home Safety & Advice

Expensive Ring

Insuring Your Collections and Valuables

If you have particular types of valuables or collections in your home, you may need to purchase additional coverage to be sure they're covered. Learn more about the kinds of possessions that may require extra protection.

Home Insurance Basics

Taking Inventory

Tips For Putting Together A Complete Home Inventory

Keeping a thorough inventory of your valuables is crucial in the event that you need to file a homeowner claim, or police report, in the event of a break-in. Keep reading to learn how to successfully complete a home inventory.

Home Insurance Basics

Cat Scratching Chair

Pet Damage and Homeowners Insurance Coverage

Adopting a pet can be exciting, but also comes with a lot of responsibility. Read on to learn whether potential damage is covered under your homeowners insurance, and tips to keep your pet from causing damage in the first place.

Home Insurance Basics

Learn To Use Your Fire Pit Safely

Fire Pit Safety Tips

Making sure that you're using your fire pit safely can mean the difference between an enjoyable night and a dangerous situation. Read on to learn some safety tips before, during and after you light that crackling fire.

Home Safety & Advice

Protect Your Home During The Holidays

Help Prevent Theft During The Holiday Season

With so many traveling during the holidays, this creates an opportunity for thefts to occur. Follow these tips to help keep your property safe while you're away.

Home Safety & Advice

Be Sure Your Vacation Home Is Covered

Insuring Your Vacation Home

Be sure that it is protected from any unforeseen damage. Learn more about why you should be sure that your vacation home is protected, in addition to factors that might influence the cost of your insurance.

Home Insurance Basics

Getting Your Vacation Home Ready For The Off Season

Prepping Your Vacation Home

If you own a vacation home, taking the time to get it ready at both the beginning and end of the season can be crucial. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Learn More About The Dangers Of Carbon Monoxide

Protect Yourself From Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas that is released when fuels are burned. Learn more about the dangers of carbon monoxide and how to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Home Safety & Advice

Prevent Sewer Backups In Your Home

Tips to Prevent Sewer Backups

When heavy rains fall, especially in the spring and summer months, homeowners might be most concerned with issues like a leaking roof or overflowing gutters. Sewer backups, although not as common, can often accompany heavy rains, and can easily cause thousands of dollars in damage to floors, walls and even furniture. Learn more about what causes sewer backups, as well as how you can protect against this type of damage in your home.

Home Safety & Advice

Unoccupied Home Insurance Coverage

Vacant/Unoccupied Home Insurance: Do I Need It?

There are a number of scenarios where you might find your home empty for a certain period of time, and it's important to make sure you have the protection you need in the event of unexpected damage. Learn the difference between a vacant and unoccupied home, scenarios where additional coverage might be necessary and why you might want to consider purchasing this coverage.

Home Insurance Basics

Summer Power Outage Tips

What You Should Do During a Summer Power Outage

Regardless of the time of year, a power outage can be a major hassle for homeowners. And although winter power outages can be more concerning, summer power outages can be unpleasant as well. Make sure you know what to do in the event that the power goes out during the hot summer months.

Home Safety & Advice

Family cookout

Cook-Outs: Ways to Safeguard Your Home While Entertaining

According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments respond to nearly 9,000 home fires each year that involve grills, barbecues, or other outdoor cooking devices. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Cleaning fall leaves out of a gutter

Fall Home Upkeep and Maintenance Tips

With the arrival of autumn, it's time to brush up on your maintenance to-do list. Here are nine tips to incorporate into your list this season. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Rennovating a kitchen

Four Tips for Successful Home Renovations

Whether you are hoping to create a more functional living space or enhance the aesthetic beauty of your current home, renovations can be exhilarating and exhausting. Many homeowners take the DIY approach, finding great satisfaction in the remodeling process. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Lifeguard watching over kids

Be Safe During Pool Season with These Tips

Jumping into a swimming pool can be one of the quickest and most pleasurable ways to cool down on a hot day. But that fun water recreation can turn tragic in seconds if an accidental drowning occurs. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Watering a flower garden

Tips To Protect All Your Plants From Summer Heat

Jumping into a swimming pool can be one of the quickest and most pleasurable ways to cool down on a hot day. But that fun water recreation can turn tragic in seconds if an accidental drowning occurs. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

New family home

Five Tips for First-Time Home Buyers

Buying a home can be an investment in your future and the fulfillment of a dream. But before you start your house search, consider these five helpful tips for first-time homebuyers. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Man installing solar panels

Five Solar Panel Tips to Help You Save Money

Over the course of their lifetime, residential solar panel systems can often help homeowners save thousands of dollars on their energy bills. With a few helpful tips and tricks, though, a solar panel system might be able to save you even more money. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Flooded basement

My Basement Just Flooded: Now What?

As you might imagine, a basement flood can be one of the more common property losses that homeowners face. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Disaster Prep Flood

Hurricane Season Warning Sign

Start Prepping for the Unexpected with these Reminders

Every year, hurricanes cause enormous amounts of wreckage and expense around the world. In 2021, Hurricane Ida generated a reported $75 billion in damage within the United States, becoming the costliest disaster of the year for our country. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Disaster Prep

Man inspecting roof for damage

Roof Maintenance 101: How to Make Your Roof Last

On average, it costs $8,600 to replace a home's roof, and it's possible to spend as much as $45,000 or more. This staggering price tag makes it essential to properly maintain your roof so that it lasts as long as possible. To help you keep your home's roof in great condition and free of costly damage, here are five roof maintenance tips to keep in mind. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Cooking over an open flame

The Top 5 Causes of House Fires (And How To Prevent Them)

In 2021 alone, there were an estimated 1.35 million fires in the United States, resulting in a little over $15.9 billion in property loss and 3,800 deaths. Even sadder than these statistics is that the vast majority of these fires likely could have been prevented with the right safety precautions. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Pruning tree limbs

Sixteen Home Maintenance Tasks You May Be Neglecting

As a homeowner, keeping up with regular maintenance can be challenging. Home repairs, updates, and inspections take time and cost money. Some of the least exciting tasks are ones that homeowners forget to do when checking their homes. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Long leaf pine covered with snow

Quick Guide To Winterizing Your Landscaping

Maintaining your gardens and yards through the winter helps ensure beautiful curb appeal and easier growing season come spring. As the weather shifts, it's time to start preparing your yard. Here are tips for winterizing your yard this fall and winter. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Home inspectors checking a foundation

Ways To Prepare and Respond To an Earthquake

While you may think earthquakes occur only on the West Coast, 45 U.S. states and territories sit in an earthquake zone. Before the next earthquake strikes, know your risk and access the Earthquake Notification Service for your area. Continue reading to learn more.

Auto Home Disaster Prep

Seismograph measuring an earthquake

Earthquake Preparation: What To Do if You Live in an Earthquake-Prone Area

It is estimated that there are about 500,000 detectable earthquakes every year ' and while only about 100 of those are strong enough to cause damage, there is no limit to the devastation that a particularly powerful earthquake can cause. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Disaster Prep

Crack in the exterior wall of a house

Earthquake Recovery: What's Covered for My Home?

According to FEMA and the United States Geological Survey, earthquakes cause an estimated $14.7 billion in damage every year in the United States. Given the destructive potential of these seismic events, ensuring that your home and property are covered against earthquake damage is important for anyone who lives in a quake-prone area. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Insurance Basics

Aftermath of an earthquake

Steps For Recovery Immediately After An Earthquake

An earthquake can wreak havoc on your home, lawn, neighborhood, and town. Learn what to do immediately after an earthquake as you strive to keep your family safe and begin the recovery process. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Sealing a basement wall

Preparing Your Home for a Flood: What You Need To Know

Because many factors can affect an area's flood risk at any given time, it's important that everybody educate themselves on flood preparation and safety. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Flood Disaster Prep

Flood zone area

Flood Preparation: Are You in a Flood Zone?

Floods are the most common type of natural disaster in the world, with about 40 percent of all natural disasters involving flooding. However, some regions are much more prone to flooding than others. Where you live will ultimately determine how many precautions you need to take. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Flood Disaster Prep

Flood evacuation route

Flood Preparation: Where and When to Evacuate

Hhow do you know when it's time to evacuate? And if you do decide to evacuate, where should you go? To help you keep yourself and your family safe, let's explore the answers to these two fundamental flood preparation questions. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Flood Disaster Prep

Water damage in a home

What's Covered in My Home After a Flood?

What exactly is flood insurance and what does it cover? Having a better understanding of this unique type of coverage will help you better protect what matters to you. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Flood Insurance Basics

Roof ridge cap shingle

Hail Preparation: How to Protect Your Home and Car From Hail

There are some steps that you can take to protect your own home and vehicle(s) from expensive hail damage. The key is to think ahead and be as proactive as possible. Continue reading to learn more.

Auto Home Disaster Prep

Roof damage from hail

Hail Recovery: How to Determine Whether You Have Hail Damage

More than ever, homeowners need to make sure their insurance policies include coverage for hail damage and know how to identify such damage after a major storm. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Insurance Basics

Man covering windows before hurricane

How to Protect Your Home This Hurricane Season

To protect your property and your family, it's important to be prepared for storms that may take shape quickly, move unpredictably, and hit hard. Here are some ways you can prepare your home for hurricane season. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Disaster Prep

Dog riding with family in the car

How to Prepare Your Family Members and Pets for a Hurricane

Preparing your family members and pets for a hurricane starts with confronting the logistics of the problem. We'll look at what you can do to help everyone feel confident, regardless of how strong the winds blow. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Disaster Prep

Flooded neighborhood street

Hurricane Recovery: What's Covered for My Home?

Explore what may be covered on your homeowner's insurance plan and how to start the recovery process. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Insurance Basics

Tree fallen on a picket fence

Hurricane Aftermath: The Cleanup of Tree and Fence Damage

Ensuring the safe removal of trees and efficient restoration of fences is crucial for post-hurricane recovery, for both safety and the restoration of affected areas. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Home surrounded by flood waters

Hurricane Recovery: What to Do if Your Home Floods

Dealing with flood damage is often one of the most challenging and costly obstacles. To help you deal with this difficult situation in the best way possible, here are four tips for what to do if your home floods due to a hurricane. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Flood Safety & Advice

Man clearing tree limbs from the street

Safety Checklist for After a Hurricane Hits Your Area

If you are ever in the path of a storm and have to evacuate, you'll probably want to get things back to normal as quickly as possible. However, before you start, check out this safety post-hurricane cleanup checklist. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Wooden staircase in a home

Storm Preparation For Your Home

Severe weather events such as floods and tornadoes are more common during the spring and summer than any other time of year. Before you can take shelter from a storm, you need to know it is headed your way in the first place. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Disaster Prep

Man inspecting roof damage after a storm

Storm Recovery: What's covered for my home?

From minor damage to catastrophic weather events, it is important to understand what your homeowners' insurance policy covers and what it does not. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Disaster Prep

Pine tree fallen across a fence

Storm Recovery: Impacts of Tree Falling on My Home or Car

In this post, we'll discuss the impact of tree damage on your car or home, what type of insurance covers it, and more. Continue reading to learn more.

Auto Home Insurance Basics

Man inspecting his home foundation

Tornado Preparation for Home

If a tornado warning is issued in your area, be sure your home is prepped, and you're ready to get to safety. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Disaster Prep

Tree fallen against a home

Tornado Recovery: What's Covered for My Home?

One of the most important parts of recovering from tornado damage is filing a claim on your homeowner's insurance policy. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Insurance Basics

Tree split down the middle

Tornado Recovery: Understanding the Impacts of Tree and Fence Damage

To help anyone who might be recovering from tornado damage, let's consider the impacts of tree and fence damage caused by tornadoes. Continue reading to learn more.

Auto Home Insurance Basics

Man inspecting the roof of his home

Wildfire Preparation for Home

Here's what you might do to prepare your home for a wildfire. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Disaster Prep

Couple looking at their burned out property

Wildfire Recovery: What's Covered For My Home?

Make sure that your home is adequately protected in the event of a fire. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Insurance Basics

Chimney sweep cleaning chimney

Top Ways To Prepare Your Home For Winter

To keep your family warm and safe all season, consider winterizing your home. You could take several steps as you inspect all areas of your house before the first winter storm hits. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Frozen pipes on the outside of a home

Winter Preparation: Prevent Pipes Bursting in Your Home

In this post, we'll cover why pipes burst, how to prevent them from bursting, and what to do if they burst. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Disaster Prep

Frozen outdoor spigot with hose attached

Winter Preparation: Home Maintenance Prior to Winter

In this post, we'll discuss some home maintenance tips to follow prior to winter. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Home with frozen gutters

A Guide to Fixing Ice Dams on Your Home

The snow and ice during winter can also create many problems. One such problem is ice dams, which can cause significant damage if left unaddressed. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Family packing boxes

How Moving Can Impact Your Home and Auto Insurance

By understanding the factors of home and auto insurance rates, you'll have a better idea of what to expect. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Insurance Basics

Woman working out at home

Setting up a Home Gym: Where to Start

Here's how to set up a home gym designed for the fitness training you want to do. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

High voltage power lines

What to do after a Power Surge?

Power surges are largely unpredictable, so it's important to take measures to manage them properly. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Contractor showing home improvements

Tips To Consider When Hiring Contractors For Home Projects

Consider the following checklist when hiring contractors for home projects. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Exterminator protecting house from bugs

Keeping Bugs Out of the Home and Yard During the Summer

Learn how to help keep bugs out of your yard and home this season. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Installing a new roof

When Is It Time for a New Roof?

Learn what signs could indicate it is time for a new roof. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Keeping home well lit

Sleep Better With A Nighttime Checklist For Your Home

A simple routine can help secure your home and boost your peace of mind. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Mother and daughter camping in the backyard

Backyard Camping - Ideas and Tips

If you'd like to create the experience of a wilderness adventure for your kids without ever leaving your home, here are some camping tips and ideas to help you make the event a success! Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Pulling a fresh radish from the garden

Flex Your Green Thumb by Starting a Garden

If you’re not sure where to begin when it comes to starting a garden, follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Two women checking their grocey store receipt

How to Save at the Grocery Store

With grocery prices rising almost 26 percent from February 2020 to July 2024, it's only natural for shoppers to want to save more. Here's how. Continue reading to learn more.

Home

Family dog by the Christmas tree

Guide to Managing Pets During the Holidays

Pets can be a big responsibility during the holidays. Here's how to make sure both you and your pets enjoy the festivities. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Two kids playing in the backyard

At-Home Playground Safety Tips For Parents

Learn ways to protect your children as they have fun in your backyard play space, from choosing the right equipment to encouraging hydration. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Child closing trampoline safety net

Top Trampoline Safety Tips For Backyard Fun

Trampolines can provide hours of entertainment and exercise. To help your children avoid injuries as they play, follow several safety tips. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Decorative Fall Place Setting

Create Your Own Thanksgiving Traditions By Hosting Friendsgiving

Friendsgiving provides a way to create traditions with friends. This blog provides tips to offer a fun and relaxed spin on the classic holiday gathering. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Home Security System

Nightly Checklist to Secure Your Home Before Bed

If you don't take the right precautions, your home could become a target for thieves at night. Here's what to do to keep it safe. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Woman walking her dog

Keep Your Pet Safe This Summer With 3 Practical Tips

Explore essential tips for keeping your beloved pet safe during the warmer summer months, as well as some common pet safety mistakes to avoid. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Family game night

Screen-Free Activities for the Whole Family

Discover engaging activities from board games to sports to help reduce screen time. You and your kids can have fun while getting away from devices. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Woman replacing a window

Key Updates to Make to Your Home

Most homeowners want to increase their home's value. Home improvements return value, including potential savings on home insurance premiums. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Burglar breaking into a house

What to Do After A Break-In: Navigating Insurance Claims After A Theft

Looking at what you can do to prepare for and navigate your insurance claim. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Insurance Basics

Baby trying to open a childproof cabinet

Childproofing Your Home

Here are some ideas that can help keep your kids safe. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice

Creating a list and photos of personal belongings

How to Document Your Personal Belongings for an Insurance Claim

How to document your possessions so you can file an accurate insurance claim in the event of a loss. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Insurance Basics

Gravel path through a landscaped area

Why Landscaping Can Be Key In Preventing Home Burglary

Here we'll look at landscaping strategies to deter opportunistic home thieves. Continue reading to learn more.

Home Safety & Advice