Monday, December 28, 2009

Another Type of Homeowners Insurance

With winter temperatures in Myrtle Beach being fairly mild, many locals may be tempted to save money on heating their homes by turning the central heat very low and using a kerosene or space heater.

Although we can hardly blame people for trying to save money in this economy, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissionusing warns that these types of heating devices cause around 22,000 residential fires every year. Around 300 deaths are a result of using various space heater types.

Here are some CPSC safety tips for buying and using space heaters:

  • Select a space heater with a guard around the flame area or heating element. Place the heater on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Keep the heater at least three feet from bedding, drapes, furniture, or other flammable materials.
  • Choose a space heater that has been tested and certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. These heaters meet specific safety standards.
  • Keep doors open to the rest of the house if you are using an unvented fuel-burning space heater. This helps prevent pollutant build-up and promotes proper combustion. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to provide sufficient combustion air to prevent CO production.
  • Never leave a space heater on when you go to sleep. Never place a space heater close to any sleeping person.
  • Turn the space heater off if you leave the area. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
  • Have a smoke detector with fresh batteries on each level of the house and a carbon monoxide detector outside your sleeping area.
  • Be aware that mobile homes require specially designed heating equipment. Only electric or vented fuel-fired heaters should be used.
  • Have gas and kerosene space heaters inspected annually.
Be sure to maintain your SC homeowners insurance or renters insurance always. If the worst were to happen, you wouldn't want to compound the problem with a lapse in your insurance coverage.

Visit our website for more tips on SC car insurance, home, and condo insurance.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

SC Car Insurance - Choose your car wisely



One of the biggest factors that determine the premiums on car insurance in South Carolina is the type of car you drive. Is it a sports car? Does it have a souped up V8 engine? Is it among the favorites for car thieves? These factors can amount to hundreds of dollars more or less that you pay for that shiny new car.

How do some cars get rated for higher premiums when they are not a Corvette or Ferrari? You might be surprised at the answer!

Insurance companies often base the rates on how many claims they receive for a certain type of car. If a car model attracts a younger, more reckless type of driver, it can cause the MODEL to end up with a higher premium in the system. Likewise, a car model that attracts a more safety-minded (stodgy, perhaps) older driver may end up being one of the least expensive models for car insurance purposes.

How a new car gets rated

Each year the car manufacturers try to come up with a new model that catches the public's attention. When a new car is introduced, the insurance companies have no collision or replacement history to go by. So the insurance rates for the new cars will be based on the price of the vehicle.

In the next 3 to 5 years, an insurance rate is accurately determined by the number of collisions, cost of body parts replacement, and even if they cause more damage to a victim vehicle during a collision. A good example of this would be the Hummer, which sits up higher and can damage another vehicle much worse.

MSN Money has listed a Cadillac Escalade as a favorite among car thieves. Insurance rates are higher for this vehicle because of it.

So be sure when you are buying that new car that you take into consideration how much you will be paying for your SC car insurance, and do some investigating online or elsewhere to check your chosen toy. Even if you want it bad enough to pay more for the car insurance, it's better to go into it prepared and not be surprised, especially if you've unknowingly chosen one that can be half as much with a comparable model.

CNN Money's List of the Most Expensive Cars to Insure include: (high to lower)

  • Dodge Viper Convertible
  • Nissan GT-R
  • BMW M6 Convertible

  • Mazda Tribute Hybrid
  • Acura RDX
  • Land Rover LR2

  • Cadillac Escalade EXT
  • Chervrolet Silverado 2500
  • HDDodge Dakota

  • Audi S6
  • Mercede-Benz CLS-Class
  • Acura TL

  • BMW 5-Series Sports Wagon
  • Mercedes Benz R-Class
  • Ford E-Series Wagon

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