Stearns Insurance

SPRING SAFETY CHECK

Public Relations — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 07:00:04 +0000

Check fluids. Look under sinks, in bathrooms, closets, garage and basement for liquids that include chemicals. Look for potentially hazardous liquids including: cleaning solvents and disinfectants; oil-based paints, primers and thinners; gasoline, kerosene, motor oil, anti-freeze, windshield washer, and other car products; insecticides, pesticides and fertilizers; and charcoal lighter fluid.

Safely discard any liquids that are unneeded or expired, based on the manufacturer’s instructions. Proper disposal is usually best accomplished with a community-based program. Typically, pouring hazardous materials down a sink, on the ground, or in a storm sewer—or placing them in the garbage—is not a safe option.

Cap, label and raise. Safely cap containers containing chemicals of any kind. If these materials need to be kept, make sure they are labeled correctly. Raise up (out of the reach of children and pets) any containers with hazardous materials.

Ventilate. Make sure petroleum-based products and other products with noxious fumes are not stored in a confined space such as a basement or closet. Nor should they be near a heat source. Springtime also is a good time to have chimneys professionally cleaned.

Check alarms. Housing codes typically require smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms in a residence. Consider adding these safety devices in garages and basements. Check the batteries in all smoke and CO alarms.

Clean up clutter. Many trip-and-fall or fall-from-above accidents happen because houses are cluttered near doors. Garages, basements, and attics are places where many homeowners put things out of the way—only to find them “by accident” come springtime. Clean up for safety’s sake.

Separate for safety. In the garage and basement, make an area for bikes, balls, and toys—away from potentially dangerous areas and items such as fuels, paints and power tools.

Prepare for an emergency. Make sure all entrances and exits to your home, including through the garage or basement, are clear. Place a first-aid kit and flashlight in the garage and basement. Mount a fire extinguisher in the garage, and train adults how to use it based on manufacturer’s directions.

Check appliances. Check appliance hoses for dishwashers, refrigerators, washers, and dryers. Danger signs: crimping, cracking or other damage on power wires, supply/discharge hoses, and vents. If you have a sump pump, test it—before spring downpours and melting snows do.

ADDITIONAL INSUREDS

Public Relations — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:08:30 +0000

Sharing your customer’s liability limits

Every day we receive multiple requests to add additional insured endorsements to our policyholders’ policies. Typically these requests are initiated by a contract our named insured willingly signed to add the additional insured in exchange for being granted some kind of work or sales transaction.

As insurance professionals, we need to make sure we are cautioning our customers about the effect of these additional insured requests before the time of a loss. Some additional insured requests are reasonable, but many are not. Is there a good reason for our insured to share their limits of liability protection with the additional insured?

Thinking it through

We have had some unusual requests. In one case, our insured was a retail store. They were selling a locally manufactured product and the manufacturer was requesting to be an additional insured on the retailer’s policy. The retail store did not understand that they were being asked to provide the manufacturer with products liability coverage while diluting their own liability protection. When they refused, the manufacturer said “Ok” and continued to sell their product through the retailer.

In another case, we had a tenant asking that they be added as an additional insured on a landlord’s policy. With a little discussion, we found the tenant thought he or she could get by without a liability policy if the landlord provided coverage. The tenant finally agreed to purchase his or her own coverage when the landlord refused.

We cannot protect our policyholders from everything. They have to make their decisions and we are not going to act as their attorneys. If we help them to understand what they are agreeing to as it regards the dilution of their own insurance protection, we have done our best.

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Public Relations — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:48:29 +0000

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