Society Insurance has provided this information. It's timely and worth the read: Life jackets have come a long way. They don’t have to be big, bulky and uncomfortable like those I wore as a kid. There are specialty life vests for most activities, such as fishing and kayaking that allow freedom of movement and relative comfort. For those over 16 years of age the newer automatic inflatable life jackets can be a very comfortable option – learn more in this video. National Safe Boating Council, Inc. Along with wearing life jackets, it is important to have enough personal flotation devices of the correct type. For boats less than 16’ in length, including canoes and kayaks, you must have one Coast Guard Approved life jacket for each person on the boat. If you have a mix of adults and children on board you need child-sized life jackets that will fit each child. If you are boating on a Federal waterway, such as Lake Michigan, then children under 13-years of age must wear a life jacket if the vessel is underway and they are not below deck or in a cabin. You can view or download a copy of the Federal Boating Safety regulations from the Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Resource Center here. A copy of the State of Wisconsin Boating Safety regulations can be obtained from the DNR here. You can purchase lifejackets most anywhere; I have seen the traditional horse collar type for less than $10.00. But when it comes to comfort, to a great degree you get what you pay for. If it isn’t comfortable neither you nor your family members will want to wear it. Make the purchase a family event – in this way the kids can help choose the life jacket they like and you can make sure it fits them properly. Ron Binning Binning & Dickens Insurance Whitewater WI

Distracted Driving

Visit this website for more information: www.distraction.gov WHAT IS DISTRACTED DRIVING? Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person's attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include: •Texting •Using a cell phone or smartphone •Eating and drinking •Talking to passengers •Grooming •Reading, including maps •Using a navigation system •Watching a video •Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player But, because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction. The best way to end distracted driving is to educate all Americans about the danger it poses. On this page, you'll find facts and statistics that are powerfully persuasive. If you don't already think distracted driving is a safety problem, please take a moment to learn more. And, as with everything on Distraction.gov, please share these facts with others. Together, we can help save lives. The number of people killed in distraction-affected crashes decreased slightly from 3,360 in 2011 to 3,328 in 2012. An estimated 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver, this was a nine percent increase from the estimated 387,000 people injured in 2011.

Walking is Good for your HEALTH

TAKE A HIKE: Getting out and getting active has never been easier than with the MapMyHike app. MapMyHike GPS Hiking is a great way to track calories burned, estimate time and distance, check your pace, and navigate a route when you’re on a hike or doing any kind of outdoor exercise. This app tracks running, walking, cycling and ...

New Office

Here is a view of our new office.  We moved in on 7-26-13 and finally got all the pictures hung and everything else back to normal, well maybe 98% of everything.  You know how moves go.  Stop in and visit us today.  Remember, we still give FREE quotes.

Ron

Cruise Control

How many of you leave the Cruise Control in the "on" position all of the time?  It is not recommended for safety reasons:
1.  Accidentally hit "resume" when it's set at 65 and traffic has you slowed down to 50.  Unexpected acceleration can cause panic.
2.  If you are making a turn and hit the resume button, you could easily spin out on the turn.
3.  Living in Wisconsin, having the cruise on in rain, icy conditions or snow, can quickly cause a spin out if the car accelerates.

Summary:  When NOT using cruise - always leave in the OFF setting.

Ron Binning
Binning & Dickens Insurance

Fall Driving Tips

Fall is here to stay so here are some driving tips for you to consider:

1. Watch out for leaves: Once leaves become wet, they can present slippery and dangerous driving conditions. Be sure to watch for patches of wet leaves on the road or on road lines. Dry leaves can also present a problem to your vehicle.


2. Stay alert on the road: The end of daylight saving time means reduced visibility on the roads, which can create unfamiliar driving conditions. Even on familiar roads, it's important that motorists use additional caution and adjust their driving habits to watch for pedestrians, cyclists and other roadway users who will be less visible.

3. Check your tire pressure: With frequent weather and temperature changes, tires can expand and contract, causing them to lose air pressure. Make sure tires are properly inflated and have plenty of tread.

4. Avoid sun glare: With the change in time you may need to adjust to the different morning or late afternoon glare from the sun. The glare can cause reflections off car windows and hoods and decrease your visibility. Have a good pair of sunglasses readily available.

5. Plan ahead for wet conditions: Fall often brings rainfall, which can decrease visibility and cause hydroplaning. Make sure your windshield wipers are in good working condition. If driving on a road with excess water, slow down and avoid sudden movements with the steering wheel or brake pedal.

6. Deer Rut is about to start: Always be on the lookout for the “eyes” of deer in the ditches during the evening hours out in the country side. I saw three last night already.

Ron Binning Binning & Dickens Insurance

Distracted Driving - National Safety Council

We all know that Distracted Driving is fast beoming the number one cause of accidents.  This link states 1 in 4 crashes are caused by Distracted Driving.  Read more:

http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/Distracted_Driving/Pages/distracted_driving.aspx

The life you save might be your own.

Ron Binning
Binning & Dickens Insurance

Tips on how to prevent thefts from Vehicles

Here are some great tips on how to prevent thefts from vehicles:
1. Make sure windows are up and sunroof is closed when car is parked. Access to the inside of the car is also access to your trunk with most cars having trunk access buttons.
2. Try to park your car near streetlights if you have to leave your car out over night.
3. Don't leave anything of value in plain view in your vehicle.
4. Don't leave house keys or car keys in your car, even if in the garage.
5. Lock your car.
6. Always report suspicious activity in your neighborhood to the Police.

Ron Binning
Binning & Dickens Insurance Services

LAWNTRACTOR claims

I was cutting the grass yesterday and starting thinking of claims caused by Lawn Tractors: Here is a list:
1. Giving young kids a ride while cutting grass: I know of no specific claim but it's a serious claim waiting to happen. JUST DON'T DO IT!
2. After mowing the grass, keep the LawnTractor OUTSIDE to allow it to cool down. I know of one serious house fire AFTER the Lawntractor was put away in the garage before it cooled down.
3. NEVER try to pull branches or twigs from under the mower dec if the mower dec is running. I know of one claim where the rider tried to remove the branch and the running blade pulled the branch and the person's hand into the blades. A very serious injury occurred.
4. Be careful handling gasoline. It is always prudent to fill the gas tank while the mower is cool. Alway store the gasoline OUTSIDE THE GARAGE.
Be safe.
Ron Binning
Binning & Dickens Insurance Services

SPRING STORMS - Tornados

If you think Spring Storms are on the increase, you are RIGHT. Kansas had it's first Tornados ever in the month of February. From February 28 to March 3, 150 tornados touched down in 5 states. So far in 2012, 49 confirm fatalities have occurred. The storms have not been confined to the South either. They have hit Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. All of this already and storm season hasn't hit Wisconsin yet.

When you hear Warnings in Wisconsin, take them seriously. Watch the weather, check the radar and when a storm is close, go to the BASEMENT. It is the safest place to be. Plan ahead too. Flashlights in the basement easy to find make sense. Perhaps extra water and some food would not be a bad idea either.

Ron Binning
Binning & Dickens Insurance

Winter is here - finally

If you live in Wisconsin, you have been waiting for Winter. HERE IT IS. It has been snowing most of the day and we are to get 6 - 7 inches before it is finished. When driving remember:
1. Drive defensive - you can not always trust the other guy has his car under control.
2. Don't follow too close
3. Assume the road will be slippery especially at STOP SIGNS.
4. The bigger the ruts in the open road, the slower you must go.
5. Before you leave your parking space, clean ALL your windows of snow and ice.
6. If you do not have to go, put it off until tomorrow. Accidents happen in weather like this!
7. The #1 cause of accidents is SPEED or TOO FAST FOR CONDITIONS!!!!!!

Be safe - Drive safe.
Ron Binning
Binning & Dickens Insurance Services

1st Real Snow this Season

It is January 12, 2012 and it is finally snowing this season. Oh, we had a few flurries here and there and even an inch of snow in December but it melted quickly. This storm could deliver 5-6 inches. THAT MEANS WINTER DRIVING HABITS NEED TO BE USED. Speed needs to be controlled based on the conditions, clean ALL your windows of snow and ice, watch for black ice on the roads and sidewalks, and most of all braking needs to be planned ahead. Remember, SPEED or TOO FAST FOR CONDITIONS is the number one cause of accidents. Have a safe winter driving season.

Ron Binning
Binning & Dickens Insurance

To turn in a claim or NOT

I had an interesting conversation with a client yesterday. It concerned the issue of claim history and how claims, even if nothing is paid in the end, can affect what you pay for auto and home insurance. EXAMPLE: Client calls and says they have hail damage. These type of claims can be extensive and costly. We report the claim to the insurance company. After securing an estimate and an adjuster visits the homeowner, it is determined the damage is under the deductible or the client decides to pay the damages out of their pocket. Therefore, nothing paid by the company. PROBLEM: Since it is a "reported" claim, that claim is on a permanent data bank that ALL companies access. They charge for "report but not paid claims." With today's sophisticated technology, claim history is available to all insurance companies with a few key strokes.

RECOMMENDATION: Buy higher deductibles (the higherst you feel you can absorb) and only turn in claims when you are sure you want to make a claim to the insurance company.

Ron Binning
Binning & Dickens Insurance

Treyton's Field of Dreams

Treyton Kilar was killed by a drunk driver on 9-2-2010. The Kilar family with 100's of friends are trying to raise money to build a "Field of Dreams" Little League field here in Whitewater in his honor. You can support their efforts by voting for them in the PEPSI REFRESH PROJECT. Visit www.refresheverthing.com/trey and click on "vote for this idea". You can also text 108723 to 73774 or log onto Facebook. You can vote all 3 ways in the month of September every day. EVERY VOTE COUNTS.

Don't Drink and Drive.

Ron Binning
ron@binningdickens.com

Number of Uninsured drivers in WI

Effective 6-1-2009 Wisconsin passed a mandatory insurance law for all drivers. Across the US 1 in 7 (14.3%) drivers are uninsured, according to a new study from the Insurance Research Council (IRC - 2011) Mississippi has the highest uninsured motorist percentage at 28%. In WISCONSIN the estimated uninsured motorist percentage is 15%.

Unisured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) are mandatory coverage on every auto policy in WI and these coverages are optional on all Personal Umbrella policies. Contact us or your current agent if you have questions about these important coverages.

Ron Binning
Binning & Dickens Insurance Services
ron@binningdickens.com

Multi-tasking vs texting

Multi-tasking is a term that was never meant to include driving and texting. Have you noticed how many people are looking "down" at interesections or when you pass them on the Interstate?
Do you think they are looking at their fingernails? These two activities are like mixing gasoline and a lighted match. There are too many unexplained accidents occuring in Wisconsin. Some people say they can text without looking........ya right!

Make smart decisions - Don't drive and text.

Ron Binning
Binning & Dickens Insurance Services
Whitewater WI

Health Insurance and the SUN

Here are new rules from www.health.com to follow when in the sun this summer:
1. Old Rule: Throw on a t-shirt or coverup when you're in direct sunlight.
New Rule: If you're not into sun-protective clothing, wear dark colors and tightly woven fabrics during peak hours.
2. Old Rule: Use a teaspoon of sunscreen for your face, a shot glass worth for your body.
New Rule: Layer your protection to MAKE sure you're covered.
3. Old Rule: A little sun is healthy - 20 minutes 3 times per week is good for Vitamin D.
New Rule: It's not smart to go outdoors UNPROTECTED.
4. Old Rule: Never, ever use a tanning bed.
New Rule: STILL, never, ever use a tanning bed. 75% increased chance of melanoma.

All of these rules apply to your kids and grandkids as well. Be smart this summer - use sunscreen.

Ron Binning
Binning & Dickens Insurance
ron@binningdickens.com

Proposed New Auto Insurance Law

As I mentioned last week, The WI State Assembly passed "Choice in Auto Insurance" this past Tuesday. It must now go to the WI State Senate for approval before it becomes law. The bill did NOT repeal Gov Doyle's Auto Insurance Law of June 2009 but I think it made some significant changes. Here are the major changes: 1. They lowered the limits back to 25,000 per person, $50,000 per occurrence, $10,000 for property damage. 2. Lowered Uninsured Motorist and Underinsured Motorist coverage to 50,000 per person and $100,000 per occurrence. 3. They eliminated the "stacking" provision where drivers could use coverage from up to 3 of their vehicles from an accident involving just one of their vehicles.

Watch this site for further developments because the Senate must pass a similar bill before Gov Walker can sign this legislation into law.

The more you know, the better decisions you can make about your insurance coverage.

Ron Binning
Binning & Dickens Insurance
ron@binningdickens.com

Change in Auto Insurance Law in WI

The Wisconsin Legislature has been debating many topics in preparation to passing the budget and one of the topics is a CHANGE in the Auto Insurance Law. Remember a major change occurred in June 2009, January 2010, and finally June 2010. Many of those changes will probably be overturned. Check back to this BLOG for the details as they become known.

That being said, we DO NOT recommend any client or any potential client lower their liability limits back to the lower limits in force prior to the June 2009 changes. The goal of liability insurance is to protect your assets from plaintiff suits. Your auto coverage is the greatest exposure you personally have for impacting your assets.

Drive safe. Drive defensive.

Ron Binning - ron@binningdickens.com
Binning & Dickens Insurance

SPRING FLOODS

It's mid February and warming up. With all of our snow melting, Spring brings FLOODS. With that and the 30 day waiting period for flood coverage to take effect after a policy is submitted, NOW is the time to buy Flood coverage. Don't wait. Call us TODAY for a quote. The quote is free. We use AUTO OWNERS Insurance Company, a leader in the Midwest for Flood Coverage.

Ron Binning
Binning & Dickens Insurance
262-473-3930
ron@binningdickens.com