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Harvey Insurance Ltd. Blog

5 Tips to Prevent Distracted Driving

4/26/2021

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Nobody thinks it’s okay to drive while distracted, yet most people have likely done it at some point. Distracted driving can be just as dangerous as drunk driving — and these days, it’s much more common.

But it’s not just texting that puts drivers at fault.
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Anything that takes your attention away from the road is a distraction. Eating, drinking, smoking, vaping, fixing your hair, putting on makeup or even fiddling around with the stereo could all be considered distractions.​So, are you guilty of these things? Sure, we can all get distracted, but the key is to consciously try to change this behaviour.

Shocking split-second distractions
Sending a speedy text reply — even an emoji — can take your eyes off the road for five seconds. Would you drive blindfolded for half a block at 90 km per hour? That’s the equivalent, and it would be terrifying — for the driver, passengers and everyone around. 

​Source: The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC)

Penalties for distracted drivingWhile laws and penalties vary from province to province, there’s a national ban against using a mobile or handheld device while driving. Penalties could include a fine, the loss of demerit points or even a driving suspension. The penalty will depend on the type of license you have, how long you’ve been driving and whether it’s your first infraction — and this could also impact your insurance rates.

If you endanger the life of another person because of distracted driving, you could also be charged with careless driving, which carries higher penalties that could include jail time and a license suspension. In the worst-case scenario, you could be charged with dangerous driving, which is a criminal offence and carries significant jail terms for causing bodily harm or death.

Even if you’re not texting while driving, you could still be pulled over for distracted driving.

​For example, eating a bag of chips or sipping a coffee could impair your driving — even if it doesn’t fall directly under your province’s distracted driving law. Driving with your pet on your lap could also be deemed a distraction. In B.C., this could result in a charge related to driving while your control or view is obstructed, which are sections of the Motor Vehicle Act.
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How unsafe am I?
Being distracted affects a driver’s decision-making, which could lead to accidents and injuries. Collision data shows that a driver using a mobile phone is four times more likely to crash than a driver focusing on the road. And deaths from collisions caused by distracted driving have doubled since 2000.

Source: Ontario Government


Tips for avoiding distracted drivingWhile there are countless random things that can steal your attention, it’s likely that you’ve encountered the same situations every time you drive. So here are five very common things that you can do right away to help you focus more on the road.

1) Switch off temptation & silence your phone
Studies have shown that when we receive a notification — including ‘likes’ on social media — that ping sends dopamine to our brains, and we respond like the proverbial Pavlovian dog. But if you can’t hear the sound or feel the vibration, you won’t be tempted to look at your device.

So turn off your phone, mute the volume or, better yet, use the 'do not disturb' feature when you get in your car, which will silence notifications, calls and texts. And while you’re at it, toss the phone in the glove compartment or the back seat where it’s out of reach.

2) Use apps to block calls while driving
Take it to the next level and consider using an app that blocks incoming texts and calls while you’re driving, especially if you regularly commute for long periods of time. These apps can also send out an automated reply that lets people know you’re driving and can’t get back to them at the moment.

If you’re worried you’ll miss an important call or not respond in a timely manner, these auto-replies can at least act as a stop-gap until you reach your destination.

3) Keep your pet safe
While we might like the idea of driving with our furry family member in the passenger seat, it’s simply not safe — for you or your pet. “In the event of a crash, even the smallest dog can generate up to 500 pounds of projectile force. A bigger dog, like a husky, could become a 2,400-pound projectile! Any unrestrained animal, but especially larger dogs, would be at risk of serious injury or even death in an accident,” according to an article in Canada Drives.

If your pet is accompanying you, use a harness, crate or dog car seat to keep Fido safe and secure. Try to keep them in the backseat if possible, which will help limit entering your peripheral vision while driving.
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4) Pull over when eating and navigating
If you’re starving, don’t wolf down a takeaway meal while behind the wheel. Instead, eat it in the parking lot or find somewhere safe to pull over. The same applies if you need to send a text or make a call.

​If you’re lost, don’t try to bring up Google Maps on your phone or program a GPS system while driving. It can be tempting to just quickly pull up an address, but again, pull over and spend the extra minute to do it the safe way.

5) Use voice commands and hands-free communications — sparingly
You can use voice commands to program your GPS device or for hands-free Bluetooth-enabled communications. But use these sparingly because they aren’t foolproof. Just trying to fiddle with technology can also distract you. (How many times does your voice recognition understand the wrong command?! Frustrating.)

And if you’re deep into a phone conversation on speaker, say with your spouse, kids or work, you’re still going to be distracted even if you’re using Bluetooth. Recently, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled that wearing both earbuds connected to a smartphone counts as a distracted driving offence, so that’s not a great option either.

Driving while distracted can result in a hefty fine, demerit points and even a driving suspension. But it can also negatively impact your insurance rate. By taking a few simple steps, you can stay focused on the road and keep yourself — and the other drivers around you — safe from distraction.

Blog Source: ​https://www.wawanesa.com/canada/blog/5-tips-distracted-driving
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The Appliance Most Likely to Cause a Fire In Your Home

4/13/2021

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Apart from heating and cooking equipment, home appliances account for over 700 residential fires across Canada each year.¹ In the US, the vast majority of fires (92 percent) involve clothes dryers.² Here’s a safety checklist for your clothes dryer, which will also help increase its efficiency and extend its lifespan.
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Clothes Dryer
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Ducting
  • If your vent ducting is plastic, replace it with an approved aluminum vent.
Before every use
  • Empty out the lint trap. Lint is highly combustible.
  • Check the exhaust hose for kinks and obstructions.
  • Do not overload with clothes.
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Every Month
  • Check the interior exhaust hose for lint build-up and clean it out.
  • Make sure the hinged exterior vent pops open when the dryer runs. The dryer must be able to exhaust its heated air.
  • Check the exterior dryer vent flaps for lint buildup.
Every 3 Months
  • Wash the lint filter with detergent to get rid of chemical residues from dryer sheets.
  • Wipe out the interior of your dryer with soapy water.
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​​Every Year
  • Remove and clean out the entire duct line from the dryer to the outside of your home.
  • For gas dryers, consider having a qualified inspector ensure your gas line and connection are free of leaks.
Other Fire Safety Tips
  • Install a smoke alarm in the laundry area.
  • Install a carbon monoxide detector if you have a gas dryer.
  • Don’t run the dryer before bed or when no-one is home.
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SOURCE: Stanley Mutual
1 Statistics Canada, Fire statistics in Canada, 2005 to 2014
2 National Fire Protection Agency Report. Home Fires Involving Clothes Dryers and Washing Machines

© The Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company of Canada. All rights reserved.
This article is for informational purposes only. All recommendations are general guidelines and are not intended to be exhaustive or complete, nor are they designed to replace information or instructions from the manufacturer of your equipment or software. Contact your equipment service representative or manufacturer with specific questions. Under no circumstances shall BI&I or any party involved in creating or delivering this article be liable for any loss or damage that results from the use of the information or images contained in or linked to in this article.
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A crash course in minor collisions

2/24/2021

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You hear the sound of crunching metal, your heart is racing, your palms are sweating— you’ve just been in an accident.

It’s minor and thank goodness no one has been injured, but what now?  Once you’ve caught your breath, there are certain things that you need to do to ensure that your day doesn’t get any worse. 
Accident planning and awareness are crucial, as every year 500,000 Canadians are involved in auto collisions.

Auto accidents are not something that any driver wants to think about but being prepared for a collision makes a very stressful situation a little more manageable.

Here are few ways to ease the post-accident process:
• Safety first: Make sure that you and the occupants of your car are safe and move off the road to prevent further injury.
• Make a list: Thinking clearly is difficult after a collision. Remove the pressure of trying to remember what you need to do by writing a list and keeping it in the glove compartment.
• Exchange information: Exchange names, addresses, phone numbers, insurance company information, driver’s license numbers and license plates with each individual involved in the accident—all of this data will be necessary when filing an accident report and an insurance claim.
• Photograph the damage: Snap a picture of the damage.  Photos will help settle any disputes about the extent of damage to the vehicles.
• File an accident report: Most provinces require that you report any accident where damage exceeds a specified amount to a collision reporting centre or the police.

​Accidents do happen so being prepared is a driver’s best option.

Source: Aviva Insurance Blog

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How does building a skating rink in your backyard affect your home insurance?

2/17/2021

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The backyard skating rink is a beloved tradition for families across the country. It calls to mind memories of lacing up skates on chilly winter nights, shooting the puck around with friends, then sipping hot cocoa and snuggling up by a crackling fire. If you’re tempted to bring back your childhood in the form of a DIY ice rink, it’s important to understand what is and isn’t covered under your home insurance policy and take the right measures to protect yourself in case anything goes wrong.

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Building a skating rink in your yard is a liability risk. Like a swimming pool, a skating rink increases the chances of someone getting injured on your property or causing damage to a neighbour’s property. What if someone slips and breaks a leg? What if your kid accidentally shoots a puck through your neighbour’s window? Or what if your rink floods your neighbour’s yard when it melts in the spring? Even if someone gets hurt after sneaking into your yard for a late-night skate, you could still be considered responsible. This is why it’s so important to make sure you have enough third-party liability coverage on your home insurance policy to protect you if you’re held liable for an injury or property damage. If you’re planning on building a skating rink on your property, ask your home insurance broker if your existing coverage is enough, or if they recommend increasing your liability limit for this new risk.

To avoid injuries and other incidents that could lead to liability claims, it’s a good idea to plan ahead and lay out some rules for your rink. Before you even begin building your rink, you should carefully inspect the area you’re planning on icing and ensure that it doesn’t slope towards a neighbour’s house (in case it causes a minor flood in the spring). If your plan is to use your rink for hockey practice, you should install boards around it to prevent pucks from flying where they shouldn’t. And as far as rules go, you could require visitors to wear helmets and other safety equipment (like knee and elbow pads) while on the ice, and only allow kids to use the ice with adult supervision.

Damage caused by rink water might not be covered. While most homeowners who install ice rinks plan to safely drain or pump the water away at the end of the season, a rapid melt could lead to a flood in your yard — or worse, in your basement. Most basic home insurance policies only include limited coverage for water damage (generally for things like burst pipes or malfunctioning appliances), so damage caused by your melted rink likely wouldn’t be covered. Even if you’ve added overland water coverage to your policy, your claim may still be denied, as this is typically designed to protect against damage caused by natural spring runoff and overflow of nearby bodies of water. Before you build your rink, contact your home insurance broker to find out if your own policy would protect your home in the event that your melting rink causes water damage. 

Think carefully about where you’ll build your rink. When you’re thinking about building an ice rink in your backyard, it’s important to ask yourself whether or not your yard (and your home) are equipped to handle the amount of water involved. If you know your basement has been leaky in the past or that water tends to pool easily in your yard when the snow starts to melt, it’s probably not the best idea to add even more water to your yard in the form of a rink. But if you don’t have a reason to be especially concerned about leaking and you decide to go ahead with building a rink, be sure to set it up in an area that doesn’t slope towards your home.

Before you get started on your backyard ice rink, contact your licensed home insurance broker and tell them your plans. Your broker can help you review your coverage and explain any potential concerns or gaps you should be aware of when it comes to protecting you from rink-related mishaps.

Source: Economical Insurance Blog

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Canada's most stolen vehicles of 2020 ...

2/12/2021

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​According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, auto theft costs Canadians close to $1 billion each year. These vehicles were at the top of car thieves’ shopping lists in 2020:

IBC’s most frequently stolen vehicles (sorted by region: Province of New Brunswick)

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Was your vehicle at the top of car thieves’ shopping lists in 2020? Find out now and take some simple steps to avoid being an easy target for vehicle theft.

Avoid becoming a target! Whether or not your car made the list of the most stolen vehicles of 2020, there are some simple things you can do to deter thieves and avoid car theft — and some of them could get you a discount on car insurance, too.
​

Car theft can happen even when you’ve taken all the right steps to avoid it. Reach out to your licensed car insurance broker to make sure you have the right coverage to protect you in case your vehicle is ever stolen.

Source: Economical Insurance Blog

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Harvey Insurance Ltd. Blog

8/17/2020

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Welcome to our new insurance agency blog!
 
This is our very first post. We're not quite sure what we're going to write about here, but the plan is to create helpful content for customers and prospective clients about information that is relevant to you.
 
We hope you'll come to view this as a top resource for keeping your family and your finances safe.
 
Here are a few of the topics we may be writing about:
  • Answers to clients' frequently asked questions.
  • Helpful information about insurance shopping.
  • Safety and Health Tips and Ideas.
  • Local Community Information.
 
Stay Tuned!


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