PGIB Upgrading Agency Management System

On August 1, 2016 Purdum Gray Ingledue Beck will be changing agency management systems. This change will allow for more efficiency and capabilities when serving our clients in the future, which is always our goal. While we are excited about this shift and expect that it will be a great change for the agency and allow us to serve our clients even better, we ask for your patience during our transition next week while requests could take longer than usual to process. We look forward to continuing to serve our clients first, as we have in the past while adapting our technology for the future! As always, we can be reached at 309.833.1755 or info@macombinsurance.com.

 

Closed in Observance of Independence Day

We would like to wish our clients and friends a terrific and safe Independence Day.

In order to allow our staff the opportunity to enjoy the holiday we will close at 2PM on Friday, July 1st  and reopen on Tuesday, July 5th at 7:30AM. Should you have an emergency while we are closed, please call Beau at 309-333-1292.

Have a safe holiday weekend!

detail of american flag

Memorial Day

We would like to wish our clients and friends a terrific and safe Memorial Day.

In order to allow our staff the opportunity to enjoy the holiday we will close at 2PM on Friday, May 27th and reopen on Tuesday, May 31st at 7:30AM.

Should you have an emergency during this time, please contact Beau Ingledue at 309-333-1292.

Do you drive a company car? Are you properly insured?

Suppose you’re driving your “company-furnished” vehicle on a personal errand to the grocery store and are involved in a very serious accident. Will you have the proper insurance coverage? Bonnie Pesch, a veteran personal lines underwriter with West Bend discusses this question below.

It’s possible you may not. Maybe your employer’s business auto policy doesn’t cover you when you’re using a company vehicle on personal business. Even if the policy provides you with coverage, the limits of liability may be too low. If you’re sued, you could be personally responsible for damages.

How do you protect yourself if you drive a company-furnished vehicle? It’s easy to do if you already own a different vehicle and insure it under a personal auto policy. Simply add Extended Non-Owned Auto coverage to it. This endorsement – on your own personal auto policy – provides you with personal auto insurance while you’re driving any non-owned auto furnished or available for your regular use.

So what should you do if you don’t own another vehicle with insurance coverage? Purchase a Named Non-Owned Auto policy. This can also provide you with the personal auto coverage you’ll need.

Call your agent at Purdum Gray Ingledue Beck at 309.833.1755 to discuss your coverage needs to make sure you are properly covered.

 

Source: http://www.thesilverlining.com/westbendcares/blog/do-you-drive-a-company-car-are-you-properly-insured

Is life insurance a priority for you?

Life turns on a dime. You have no idea when you’ll “need” insurance. That’s why it’s important to plan ahead. Have you gotten around to doing what you know needs to be done? Call Purdum Gray Ingledue Beck at 309.833.1755 and let us help you plan for your family.

President’s Day Holiday

Our agency will be closed Monday, February 15th in observance of the President’s Day Holiday. In the event of an emergency, please contact Beau Ingledue at 309-333-1292.

The dangers of distracted driving are real

Distracted driving is one of the major causes of motor vehicle collisions today. According to Distraction.gov, over 3,000 motorists are killed and another 421,000 are injured each year as a result of distracted driving collisions. It is estimated that distracted drivers are three times more likely to have a collision. We all share the roadways and collectively we can create a safer driving culture for ourselves and the generations that follow. Please take some time to explore the information below and pass it along to those closest to you.

The Facts
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 distractions can include texting, using a cell phone, eating, drinking, talking to passengers, grooming, reading, using a navigation system, watching a video, and adjusting a radio, CD player or MP3 player.

Driving is a complex task that requires one’s eyes on the road, hands on the wheel and brain focused on the task at hand. According to the National Safety Council, drivers engaged in cell phone conversations, with either hand-held or hands-free devices, can fail to see up to 50 percent of their driving environment, including stop signs, pedestrians and red lights.

Did you know?

  • Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field blind, if traveling at 55 mph.
  • Using a cell phone while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver’s reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration of .08, which is legally impaired.
  • Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent.

Do your part by pledging to drive distraction-free on the National Safety Council’s website. Pledging means you will refrain from having a phone conversation or texting while driving your vehicle. There are several mobile applications designed to help eliminate or minimize phone usage while driving. Some popular apps include:

  • AT&T DriveMode (iPhone & Android)
  • Canary (iPhone & Android)
  • DriveSafe.ly (Android)
  • LifeSaver (iPhone & Android)
  • Live2Txt (Android)

For more information on distracted driving, check out the following resources:

Source: Sagamore Signal, http://view.email-baldwinandlyons.com/?j=fe571579746d07787013&m=fef41178706702&ls=fdf113777462037c77157772&l=fe9016717c6d057574&s=fe331c7075660475751579&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe2216737060037c721d77

Seven tips to keep yourself and others safe this hunting season

Fall is a nice time of year in the Midwest. Fall sports are back, trees change colors, and if it was a hot summer, the cooler temperatures feel nice. It’s also the time of year when hunters begin venturing into the woods.

According to the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, more than 87 million Americans hunt, fish, and enjoy wildlife-related recreation annually. Combined, these activities generate more than $120 billion for the U.S. economy and support almost three million jobs.

Whether you’re a gun collector, sport-shooting enthusiast, or hunter, here are some safety tips to keep yourself and others safe.

1. Communication is key.

  • Whether or not you own a gun, talking to your kids about gun safety is an important discussion. You never know what they may find at a friend’s house.
  • If you’re hunting with family or friends, discuss the layout of the land and have a thorough understanding of where each person will be.
  • If you’re venturing into the woods, tell family or friends where you’re going and when you’ll be home.
  • If visiting your local gun range, understand their rules and abide by them.

2. Store guns and ammunition in separate locked cabinets. Too often, we hear about accidental shootings. What you think is a good hiding spot probably isn’t. Kids are inquisitive and can find things you’d least expect them to find. Store the keys for your gun cabinets in a safe place. Labeling keys for a gun cabinet and leaving them in a common area of your home defeats the purpose of locked cabinets. Consider trigger locks.

3. Wear the appropriate clothing or gear. No matter what hobby you enjoy, wearing the appropriate clothing or gear is important. When shooting, wear eye and ear protection. If you enjoy walking in the woods, make sure you wear bright clothing to make yourself more visible. If you’re hunting from a tree stand, wear a safety harness.

Maintain your gear/hunting equipment properly by inspecting it after each use. If it needs repair, contact a professional.

4. Pack a first aid kit. Create a small kit specifically for you. My dad is allergic to bee stings, so he carried an EpiPen® when he hunted. If you suffer from an occasional migraine and have prescription medicine, pack that, as well.

5. Be aware of your surroundings. Identify where other hunters are and know what your target is before shooting. Be aware of where local medical services are located.

6. Ask permission. Just because you live near the woods doesn’t mean you can hunt in the woods. Always ask permission from landowners before hunting on their land since it can create many liability exposures for them. If you talk to the landowner beforehand, he/she can keep track of who’s hunting on the land and share any safety tips specific to the property.

7. Contact your local DNR. Many states require hunter safety courses. It’s required in many states. DNR websites also share

  • Safety tips;
  • Hunting opportunities;
  • Volunteer opportunities; and
  • Places to hunt.

Illinois DNR
Indiana DNR
Iowa DNR
Wisconsin DNR

Sources:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/home/gun_safety.html
http://www.remington.com/10commandments
http://www.nhfday.org/Page/Hunting-Facts.aspx
http://www.thesilverlining.com/westbendcares/blog/seven-tips-to-keep-yourself-and-others-safe-this-hunting-season

College students, it’s time to take stock of your stuff

If you are among the millions of young adults packing up to head off to college, now is a great time to take stock of all of your electronics, sports equipment, musical instruments and other items that you would need to replace in the event of fire, theft or other hardship.

Most people, not just college students, have no idea how many things they own. While big-ticket items like computers, cell phones and bicycles may come to mind, other purchases may surprise you. Consider how many pairs of shoes you own, clothing or other personal items; $100 here, $100 there, and soon you’ve tallied up thousands of dollars.

It’s important to know that the amount of insurance you have is sufficient to cover your losses. While most college students living in a dorm or other college housing have some coverage under their parents’ homeowners policy, that coverage may be limited to only 10 percent of the coverage for contents (for example, $10,000 on a $100,000 policy).

More importantly, if you are renting a house, condo or apartment, you may need renter’s insurance because your property may not be covered under your parents’ policy.

A first step in determining if you have adequate coverage is to know what you own. These tips can help:

  • While you’re packing, take a video or photographs of the things you’re taking with you.
  • Record descriptions of each item, making note of brand names and serial numbers.
  • As you make new purchases, keep your receipts as a record of costs and dates of purchase.
  • Store your list along with receipts and other documentation in a safe location away from your living space. You may want to consider uploading it to an electronic storage space.

After you have taken an inventory of your personal property, you should have a clearer picture of how much you have and how much it is worth. Next, you will want to make sure you have a sufficient limit of insurance.

Ask your local, independent insurance agent at Purdum Gray Ingledue Beck (309.833.1755) about adding a Student Personal Effects endorsement to your parents’ policy. You may also want to make sure you have replacement cost coverage, so that in the event of a loss your recovery isn’t limited to the depreciated value of lost or damaged items.

College is a time for new and exciting experiences – most of them good – but if you have the misfortune of having your things stolen or destroyed, your inventory of personal property will assist with the claims process.

Source: Kristen Bomkamp, Cincinnati Insurance Blog.  See more at: http://blog.cinfin.com/2015/08/04/college-students-take-stock/#sthash.jsi3YwEW.dpbs

Tips to protect your home while on vacation

Many people look forward to a summer vacation. Where you’re going usually determines the amount of planning needed. A weekend getaway just a few hours away is much easier to pull off than a trip across or out of the country. Regardless of the amount of planning needed to have a successful vacation, don’t forget about ways to protect your home while you’re gone.

Thieves are more active this time of year and so is Mother Nature. Pipes or hoses can spring a leak at any time. Here are seven tips to help protect your home.

1. What are friends for? If you have a friend who lives nearby or a trustworthy neighbor, ask them to keep an eye on your house. Arm them with house keys and security codes so they would have access in an emergency. In addition, if a storm rolls through while you are gone, a friend or neighbor can alert you of significant storm damage.

2. Lay low on social media. While it’s fun to post pictures or check in using social media, it’s a great invitation to thieves to vacation at your home and take your belongings. As your social network grows, so does your exposure. While  posting pictures can seem harmless, it’s safer to post when you’re back home. Have a conversation with your kids since their social network might be larger than yours and may include people who aren’t their friends, but a friend of a friend of a friend.

3. Consider a home monitoring system. A home monitoring system has many advantages. Today, systems are much more sophisticated and some systems can allow you to monitor your home with your Smartphone.

4. Check hoses and faucets regularly. Experts recommend checking hoses that lead to your washing machine, dishwasher, and refrigerator each year, looking for cracks or water leaks. They also recommend replacing all hoses every five to seven years.

5. Know where and how to shut off your water main. If a pipe suddenly bursts in your home, it’s important to know how to shut off the water supply. In most situations, shutting off the water main will stop the flow of water. Shutting your water off at the main will help prevent significant water damage while away. To order a free water main shut off tag, click here.

6. Maintain your lawn. Many homeowners take pride in their yards. If you regularly pull weeds and cut your grass, this should continue if you’re away for several weeks. There’s nothing like a neglected yard to tell a burglar you’re not home. Hire a lawn service or a neighbor while you’re gone.

7. Unplug your electronics and small appliances. Unplugging your electronics while you’re away can protect them if a severe storm rolls through your area and causes a power surge. Unplugging also provides piece of mind. Have you ever been gone and thought, “I wonder if I turned off the coffee pot or the TV?”

Source: West Bend Cares Blog, http://www.thesilverlining.com/westbendcares/blog/seven-tips-to-protect-your-home-while-on-vacation