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Americans buy insurance for a lot of things: homes, cars, their health care—even their lives. But what about firearms? Homeowner’s insurance can provide coverage but . . . it’s complicated.
As a firearm owner, there are special considerations that must be made when purchasing homeowner’s insurance. When determining the total coverage amount needed to protect your home and possessions, you should consider the value of your firearms separately. Additionally, attention must be paid as to whether or not your policy provides adequate coverage should someone be injured or killed by a gun.
Many insurers limit the amount of loss you can claim should your weapons be damaged or stolen. For example, a standard limit of $1,500 – $2,500 may be imposed per personal property claim. To determine your limits of coverage, read through the fine print of your policy. If your home is burglarized, would that amount cover the cost to replace your firearms? If you own multiple guns, customized firearms, shooting accessories, rare or antique weapons, the likely answer is “no”. To obtain additional coverage, your insurance company may offer a rider, also known as a scheduled personal property endorsement. A rider offers additional coverage for specific items of value, such as jewelry, antiques or firearms. The company will likely require a list of firearms and their appraised value to secure this coverage.
Owning firearms brings the added responsibility of making sure you are adequately covered in the event of a tragic accident. While I trust you take all necessary precautions to prevent an unintentional shooting, being a responsible gun owner means you must acknowledge accidents do happen. Most insurance policies cover injury or death due to accidental firearms discharge the same as any other accident. However, the standard liability limit for many policies is $100,000. Should the worst happen, the cost of medical bills and potential payouts for pain, suffering and attorney’s fees can easily top that. Many major insurances companies cap the amount of liability coverage available on a standard policy and some also have exclusions to firearm coverage. Check with your insurer to determine the scope of these limits.
Beyond the coverage offered through a traditional homeowner’s policy, you can purchase supplemental insurance especially for guns. Policies for firearms are available for upwards of $1,000,000. These policies cover repair or replacement of firearms and accessories as well as liability coverage for unintentional shootings at home, the range or while hunting. Supplemental coverage can also cover unexpected claims. For instance, if one of your guns is stolen and used to commit a crime, expanded liability protection would come in handy should a negligence lawsuit be filed against you for allegedly failing to properly secure your firearm. A note of importance: homeowner’s policies exclude intentional shootings from coverage, even in cases of home or self-defense. For example, if you shoot an intruder and the criminal or their family then sues you, it is NOT covered. These policies cost more than standard insurance, but most cover bail bonding, legal defense, medical and counseling bills, and attorney referral. The peace of mind a personal liability insurance policy offers often outweighs the monetary cost.
For a risk-free analysis of your homeowners insurance policy, give us a call today 423-485-3078.
Doctors are reporting they now understand the behavior of the COVID 19 virus due to autopsies that they have carried out. This virus is characterized by obstructing respiratory pathways with thick mucus that solidifies and blocks the airways and lungs. So they have discovered that in order to apply a medicine you have to open and unblock these airways so that the treatment can be used to take effect however all of this takes a number of days.
Doctors recommendations for what you can do to safeguard yourself are …
- Drink lots of hot liquids – coffees, soups, teas, warm water. In addition take a sip of warm water every 20 minutes bc this keeps your mouth moist and washes any of the virus that’s entered your mouth into your stomach where your gastric juices will neutralize it before it can get to the lungs.
- Gargle with an antiseptic and warm water like vinegar or salt or lemon every day if possible
- The virus attaches itself to hair and clothes. And detergent or soap kills it but you must take bath or shower when you get in from the street. Avoid sitting down in your home and go straight to the shower. If you cannot wash your clothes daily, hang them in sunlight which also helps to neutralize the virus
- Wash metallic surfaces very carefully bc the virus can stay viable on these for up to 9 days. Take note and be vigilant about touching hand rails, door knobs, etc. and keep these clean in home home
- Don’t smoke
- Wash your hands every 20 minutes with any soap that foams and do this for 20 seconds
- Eat fruits and vegetables. Try to elevate your zinc levels
- Animals do not spread the virus to people. Its a person to person transmission.
- Try to avoid getting the common flu as this already weakens your system and try to avoid eating and drinking any cold things.
- If you feel any discomfort in your throat or a sore throat coming on, attack it immediately using the above methods. The virus enters the system through the throat but will sit in the throat for 3-4 days before it passes into your lungs.
In addition, experts suggest doing this simple verification every morning: Breathe in deeply and hold your breath for 10 seconds. If this can be done without coughing, without difficulty, this shows that there is no fibrosis in the lungs, indicating the absence of infection. It is recommended to do this control every morning to help detect infection.
Despite the chill that still lingers in the air, Spring is here. Whenever you hear the word spring you might associate it with cleaning or a fresh start.
Spring cleaning is no small task, though. In fact, it can often turn into a huge project that some of us may give up on. To make your spring cleaning tasks a little more manageable, here are a few tips that can help you tackle a dirty house.
1. Make a List of What Needs to Be Cleaned in Each Room
Lists can often help people stay organized — especially if you have a project, like spring cleaning, on your plate. Before you get started, walk through each room and write down what needs to get done, says SpareFoot. Writing a list out also helps to make sure you have all the cleaning materials you need before you start, potentially saving some time later. No one wants to stop everything to run out and buy more carpet cleaning solution.
2. Create a Playlist
Consider putting together a cleaning playlist, says Apartment Therapy. Listening to music while cleaning may help make things go by faster. Of course, you don’t have to make a playlist. You could always just play or stream your favorite music.
3. Clean One Room at a Time
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you want to clean your entire home all at once. If you can work on at least two or three rooms each weekend, you’ll get a lot more done and still have free time on the side.
4. Declutter
As you go through each room, make sure to declutter, says HGTV. Recycle old magazines and papers from the previous year. Put items you no longer use or need, like that sweater you bought three years ago but never wear, into a box to donate. You may also want to keep a record of your donations. Once you’re done cleaning your whole house, itemize your donate pile because you may be able to deduct those donations on your taxes.
5. Set a Timer
It’s hard to stay on track when cleaning. You may find items you’ve forgotten or old photographs, and before you know it you’ve spent the entire day cleaning just one closet. Set a timer so you don’t fall into this trap, says Reader’s Digest. You can also use the timer to give yourself a little break here and there. Much like a list, it can help you stay on track.
6. Recruit Some Help
Don’t do all the cleaning yourself. Recruit your kids, significant other or roommates to help you out, says The Spruce. When you can divvy up the work, it will hopefully take less time than if you do it all by yourself.
7. Start at the Top and Work Your Way Down
This is just the law of gravity — clean from the top of the ceiling to the floor, says Dengarden. Knock all the dusty cobwebs from the corner, wash the curtains, clean the windows, dust the furniture, vacuum the furniture and finally, vacuum the floor.
8. Use Natural Cleaners
Many chemical-based cleaners emit hazardous fumes. Some cleaners when mixed together can even emit toxic fumes that can seriously hurt you. No matter what cleaners you use, remember to always read the labels. If you’re looking for alternatives to cleaning products, some people use vinegar as a substitute in the bathroom or kitchen and as a general household cleaning solution, says Better Homes and Gardens. (Just remember never to mix vinegar and bleach, as the combination can be dangerous, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
9. Be Patient
Don’t forget to work smarter, not harder. Take your time and let grimy surfaces, like the ones in your bathroom and kitchen, soak in your cleaning solution. Work on something else on your list while your cleaner does the hard work.
10. Reward Yourself for a Job Well Done
For the most part, having something to look forward to at the end of a long day of cleaning sure makes things go faster. Plus, you worked hard and deserve it. Treat yourself.
OK, so these ideas won’t make all the dirt magically disappear, but the tips above may help make the process a little less overwhelming. Just remember to pace yourself. You don’t have to do everything in one day.
Improve your health with steps so simple you’ll barely notice the effort.
In the warmer, longer, lazier days of summer, the living may not be easy, but your life probably feels less chaotic. Even adults tend to adopt a “school’s out!” attitude in summer. That’s why this is a perfect time to improve your health in a fashion so seasonally laid back you’ll barely notice the effort.
To get you started, WebMD went to eight health experts in fields such as diet, fitness, stress stress, vision, and oral health. We asked them this: If you could only suggest one simple change this season to boost personal health, what would it be? Here are their top eight tips.
- Give Your Diet a Berry Boost
If you do one thing this summer to improve your diet, have a cup of mixed fresh berries — blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries — every day. They’ll help you load up on antioxidants, which may help prevent damage to tissues and reduce the risks of age-related illnesses. Blueberries and blackberries are especially antioxidant-rich. A big bonus: Berries are also tops in fiber, which helps keep cholesterol low and may even help prevent some cancers. - Get Dirty — and Stress Less
To improve your stress level, plant a small garden, cultivate a flower box, or if space is really limited, plant a few flower pots — indoors or out. Just putting your hands in soil is
“grounding.” And when life feels like you’re moving so fast your feet are barely touching the stuff, being mentally grounded can help relieve physical and mental stress. - Floss Daily
You know you need to, now it’s time to start: floss every single day. Do it at the beach (in a secluded spot), while reading on your patio, or when watching TV — and the task will breeze by. Flossing reduces oral bacteria, which improves overall body health, and if oral bacteria is low, your body has more resources to fight bacteria elsewhere. Floss daily and you’re doing better than at least 85% of people. - Get Outside to Exercise
Pick one outdoor activity — going on a hike, taking a nature walk, playing games such as tag with your kids, cycling, roller blading, or swimming — to shed that cooped-up feeling of gym workouts. And remember, the family that plays together not only gets fit together — it’s also a great way to create bonding time. - Be Good to Your Eyes
To protect your vision at work and at play, wear protective eyewear. When outdoors, wear sunglasses that block at least 99% of ultraviolet A and B rays. Sunglasses can help prevent cataractscataracts, as well as wrinkles around the eyes. And when playing sports or doing tasks such as mowing the lawn, wear protective eyewear. Ask your eye doctor about the best type; some are sport-specific. - Vacation Time!
Improve your heart health: take advantage of summer’s slower schedule by using your vacation time to unwind. Vacations have multiple benefits: They can help lower your blood pressure, heart rate, and stress hormones such as cortisol, which contributes to a widening waist and an increased risk of heart heart disease. - Alcohol: Go Lite
Summer’s a great time to skip drinks with hard alcohol and choose a light, chilled alcoholic beverage (unless you are pregnant or should not drink for health or other reasons). A sangria (table wine diluted with juice), a cold beer, or a wine spritzer are all refreshing but light. In moderation — defined as one to two drinks daily — alcohol can protect against heart disease. - Sleep Well
Resist the urge to stay up later during long summer days. Instead pay attention to good sleep hygiene by keeping the same bedtime and wake-up schedule and not drinking alcohol within three hours of bedtime. It’s also a good idea to avoid naps during the day unless you take them every day at the same time, for the same amount of time.
There they are: Eight super simple ways to boost your health this summer. Try one or try them all. They’re so easy you won’t even know they’re — shhhh — good for you.