As the summer is quickly coming to an end it's time for all of us to prepare for back to school, whether we have children or not! This is also a great time of year to review your home, auto, umbrella, and life insurance policies. Here are a few tips to consider for this stressful, yet exciting time of year for all ages.
Elementary & Middle School
Will your child be taking the bus?
Talk to your children about walking to the bus stop, educate them on safety and being aware of their surroundings. I personally have my daughter text me when she gets to the bus stop so I know she is safe.
Speak of texting, did you know on average it takes about 5 seconds to read a text?
If you are driving 55 mph that is the length of a football field without looking at the road! Please put your phones down and protect others and yourself when on the road.
High School
Do you have a new teen driver?
This is a great time to review your auto liability limits. Did you know that Florida only requires liability limits of $10,000 per person and $20,000 per accident? If you have ever been to the emergency room, you know that will not go far! Having a young driver statistically puts you at a higher liability risk, please review your limits and give us a call if you would like us to review them with you. You can have a maximum of $500,000 per accident on an auto policy and then you can obtain an umbrella for additional liability coverage to protect your family and your financial future!
Did you know that 21% of teen drivers involved in a fatal accident were distracted by their cellphones? Talk to your students about safety when driving, such as wearing their seat belts at all times, not getting distracted by the radio, friends or their cell phones.
If your teen is tempted to text and drive, have them put their phone in the glove box or trunk immediately upon getting into the car!
College
This can be such an emotional time for all of us parents that we may forget about important details in the process of our children going away to college.
Is your college student staying in the dorm?
If so, some home insurance policies will cover 10% off your personal property not in the home. This is a good time to check your home insurance limits and make sure you have adequate coverage. Most personal property coverage are 50% of your dwelling amount. This means if your home is insured for $200,000 then you have $100,000 in personal property which means $10,000 outside of the home. In most cases you can increase that up to 70% or add a package that increases your personal property and other coverage.
Is your college student staying off campus in an apartment?
In this case you would need to obtain a renter's policy for your son or daughter. These policies are usually inexpensive and are under $200 a year for personal property and liability coverage.
Also, take a look at your auto policy when your child is going away to college. You should update the garaging address for their vehicle and in some cases you can get a discount for them being a good student with an A/B Average. You can also rate them as being away at school which may save money as well. We would be happy to review your insurance for your family's specific needs. Contact us today!
I hope these will help relieve some stress for this busy time of year. Remember to leave early, take your time, and always be aware of your surroundings. Lastly, as tempting as it is, please encourage your children and your spouse not to go hunting for Pokemon while driving or walking to school!