Prudent Pet

Pet Blog

Our pets get sick just like we do & veterinarian bills can be costly. Pet Insurance allows you the benefit of getting reimbursed for those expenses. We are now offering coverage for your fur kids through Prudent Pet! They give you the ability to pick a price point that works best with your finances.

These pet insurance plans cover a range of needs for your cat or dog, with these customizable options:

  • Wellness options
  • Deductible
  • Annual limits
  • Base premium
  • Exam fee coverage available
  • Reimbursement percentage & more!

As an added bonus, with any of the plans, you are given 24/7 access to real vets! You are able to chat with a real veterinarian, no appointment required!

Prudent Pet offers plans up to 90% reimbursement! It covers most accidents and illnesses. You also have the option of selecting an accident-only plan & your pets insurance coverage starts as soon as 5 days!  You can take your pet to any licensed vet in the U.S. or Canada including emergency care providers & specialists. Prudent Pet even offers a 30-Day No Risk Money-Back Guarantee – PAWSOME!

Let Dial Insurance fetch the right insurance coverage for your pet! Call us at 910-521-9090 or click here to get a quote.

Homeowners Insurance Facts

When you decide you want to buy your first home, homeowners insurance may not be the first thing you think about. However, most mortgage lenders require you to have homeowners insurance before they will approve your loan. There are a few things you should know about homeowners insurance.

Certain losses are excluded from most homeowners insurance policies. Standard homeowners insurance policies don’t cover floods or earthquakes. If you want coverage for flood or earthquake damage, you will need separate policies for those. If you are in a flood zone, your mortgage lender may require you to purchase flood insurance.

We all know that our credit score is important for many things. Did you know it can also affect your homeowners insurance premium? Some states have banned this practice; however, in most cases, your credit score can affect your insurance premium. The better your credit rating, the lower your premium. So while you’re spiffing up your credit rating to get a good deal on your mortgage loan, you should maintain a good rating to save money on your homeowners insurance.

Poor home maintenance may cause a claim to be denied. Not all damages are covered by homeowners insurance. If the damage that occurred to your home is due to your failure to properly maintain your home, your claim may be denied. When it comes to home maintenance, don’t be a procrastinator!

While you are living in your new home, you will acquire new valuables, and personal possessions, and may do some home improvements. You should always report these to us right away so we can ensure your coverage is sufficient for your investment. Enjoy your new home, you deserve it!

Dial Insurance

Source: https://www.hsh.com/first-time-homebuyer/facts-about-home-insurance.html

Whole Life Insurance vs. Term Life Insurance

Shopping for life insurance may not be as fun as reading a good novel, but it is something everyone should do – sooner rather than later. There are two popular types of life insurance: term life insurance and whole life insurance. While the death benefits from both can be similar, there are a few key differences between them.

Term life insurance is perhaps the easiest to understand. This straightforward insurance is purchased for the simple promise of a death benefit for your beneficiary should you pass away while it’s in force. Term life insurance only lasts for a certain period of time, whether it is 10, 20 or 30 years. After the term is up, the policy expires. One benefit of term life insurance is it tends to be the most affordable option. If all you seek from a life insurance policy is the ability to protect your loved ones when you die, term life insurance is likely the best fit for you. Basic protection is better than no protection at all.

Whole life insurance is a form of permanent life insurance. Meaning that if you keep making your premium payments, it will never expire. Whole life insurance also provides some “cash value”, which can be a source of funds for future needs. Your premiums are split in two ways. One part of your payment goes to the insurance component, while the other part helps build your cash value, which will grow over time. At a later date you can borrow or withdrawal from your cash value amount for things such as your child’s college tuition or repairs to your home. However, should you withdrawal or borrow from your policy, your death benefits will go down by a corresponding amount if you don’t pay it back.

Source: https://www.investopedia.com/term-life-vs-whole-life-5075430

Restaurant Kitchen Safety

Owning a restaurant can be very rewarding, but it is hard work. Safety is very important not only for your customers but for your staff as well. The main cause of injury and illness in the hospitality industry is an unsafe work environment. Working in any commercial kitchen is a dangerous job. If you own a restaurant, don’t forget these safety features in your kitchen.

  1. Proper Attire: Kitchen staff uniforms are often mandatory. They designate rank and keep the chef clean and comfortable during service. However, footwear is often times overlooked. You should encourage all employees to wear heavy-duty, close-toed shoes that are waterproof and slip-resistant.
  2. Non-Slip Mats: In addition to slip-resistant shoes, you should have non-slip mats and flooring. During service, a kitchen floor can become greasy and wet. Fast-moving workers can potentially slip and fall. Non-slip mats and flooring can provide the necessary traction for workers to continue their fast pace without worrying about slipping.
  3. Ventilation: Without proper ventilation, a kitchen becomes hot, smoky, and unbearable. Employees who are required to spend a long period of time in unventilated kitchens are at higher risk of heat-related illnesses. Proper ventilation systems are essential for the safety and comfort of your employees.
  4. Fire Safety Equipment: Commercial kitchens are in constant danger of fires. Having a fire suppression system is essential for keeping your kitchen safe. Training your employees on how to use your fire suppression system is just as important as having the system! You should also have an evacuation plan in place and practice regular fire drills.
  5. Equipment Guards: Having commercial-grade equipment is essential for your kitchen to run quickly and efficiently. Employees may state that safety guards on the equipment get in the way and slow down production, but they are there for a reason! Safety guards are an effective way to prevent amputations and lacerations from poor equipment handling.
  6. Signage: Slips and falls are often times caused by undisclosed hazards such as a recently cleaned spill. It pays to have adequate signage in the kitchen to draw attention to potential hazards. Signs should be placed in visible areas and in high-contrast colors.
  7. Occupational Health and Safety Training: While this is important for workers across all industries, there are some hospitality-specific hazards you need to address with your staff. A safety seminar will address issues such as proper food storage and handling, how to avoid repetitive stress, how to remove or avoid potential hazards in the kitchen, and more.
  8. Correct Cleaning Techniques: All kitchen staff members should be trained in proper cleaning and food handling techniques. Poor kitchen hygiene is not only dangerous to your customers, but also to the kitchen staff handling the food. Food-borne illnesses are one of the top reasons cited for missed work days.

Whether you own the restaurant, work there, or you’re a paying customer, you want to remain safe and healthy. Flames and fuel in close proximity, hazardous cleaning chemicals, and sharp food prep equipment make a commercial kitchen, by far, the most hazardous environment to work in. Kitchen safety should be a priority to protect your employees and your customers.

Dial Insurance

Source: https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/on-the-line/restaurant-kitchen-safety-tips

How to Change a Tire

Knowing how to change a tire is a necessary skill for all drivers. You might be thinking, “I pay for a AAA membership so that I get roadside assistance and don’t have to worry,” or “I have a cell phone, I can just call someone to help.” Even if this is the case for most situations, there are still plenty of situations where these reasons don’t cover you.

WHY SHOULD YOU KNOW HOW TO FIX A FLAT TIRE?  

1. Cell phones don’t always have service

In this day and age, we depend heavily on our cell phones, but cell service doesn’t always cover what it says it will. Landscape, weather, the locations of antennas, and the cell network capacity all play a factor in you getting your service when you need it. 

2. You might get a flat in a dangerous place

Even more serious would be finding yourself in a remote, secluded area with a flat tire. People can be dangerous, so we recommend getting help from a source you trust, if possible, like your roadside assistance. But sometimes roadside assistance cannot reach you within a reasonable amount of time. If you’re out on the road, it may take several hours to get help. In the meantime, you are putting yourself at risk by staying in this spot. 

Other danger factors include weather conditions and where you had to park your vehicle (like a spot that slows down or blocks traffic). This isn’t to mention if you are in a rush: say you are on the way to an important meeting or need to catch a flight – knowing how to change the tire yourself can get you back on the road quickly.

3. You might save money

Aside from saving time, you might save yourself some money. If you don’t have roadside assistance or a friend who can help, your only other option may be to call a towing company to take it to a nearby repair shop. Needless to say, this is much more time and money than simply doing the job yourself.

Thankfully, changing a tire isn’t all that hard! Just adhere to the following guidelines to be prepared in case you have a flat.

ITEMS YOU’LL NEED TO FIX A FLAT TIRE

These items should have come with your vehicle: jack, lug wrench, fully inflated spare tire, and a vehicle owner’s manual.

If you have misplaced any of these items, or if your car did not come with these items, you should purchase new ones right away. And be sure you’re regularly inflating the spare tire to your vehicle manufacturer’s recommended PSI. You should check the spare’s air pressure every time you check your other tires. Remember to check pressure every month and before long trips or carrying an extra load.

Here are some items that don’t come with your vehicle but that you should stow in your trunk or glove box in case you have to change a flat tire: a flashlight with working batteries, a rain poncho, a small cut 2″x6” wood to secure the jack, gloves, and wheel wedges.

HOW TO CHANGE A TIRE

The long and short of this process can be found in the list below. For a full video on step-by-step directions, visit Bridgestone Tires.  

1. FIND A SAFE LOCATION

2. TURN ON YOUR HAZARD LIGHTS

3. APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE

4. APPLY WHEEL WEDGES

5. REMOVE THE HUBCAP OR WHEEL COVER

6. LOOSEN THE LUG NUTS

7. PLACE THE JACK UNDER THE VEHICLE

8. RAISE THE VEHICLE WITH THE JACK 

9. UNSCREW THE LUG NUTS

10. REMOVE THE FLAT TIRE

11. MOUNT THE SPARE TIRE ON THE LUG BOLTS

12. TIGHTEN THE LUG NUTS BY HAND

13. LOWER THE VEHICLE AND TIGHTEN THE LUG NUTS AGAIN

14. LOWER THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY

15. REPLACE THE HUBCAP

16. STOW ALL EQUIPMENT

17. CHECK THE PRESSURE IN THE SPARE TIRE 

18. TAKE YOUR FLAT TIRE TO A TECHNICIAN

Dial Insurance

Source: https://www.bridgestonetire.com/tread-and-trend/drivers-ed/how-to-change-a-flat-tire# and https://www.procarecollision.com/why-it-is-important-to-know-how-to-change-a-flat-tire/

All About Home Inventory

You never know when disaster may strike and all your personal possessions are lost or damaged. Do you know how much your coin collection is worth? Do you know how many pairs of Nikes you have? That’s where a home inventory can help. Having a home inventory can help you purchase the amount of insurance you need, get your insurance claim settled faster, verify losses for your income tax return, and keep track of all the things you’ve accumulated over the years.

It may seem like a daunting task to create a list of every item you own, but don’t let that scare you off! There are many ways to create your list, you just have to decide what works best for you. You can go room by room, category by category (furniture, electronics, etc.), newest to oldest, or the most expensive to least expensive. You can write everything down on a notepad, take pictures and write the information on the back of the photos, or put everything into your computer.

It’s also very important to keep a record of legal documents – birth certificates, passports, and financial documents. You can use your home inventory to record information about these papers. You can not have insurance policy numbers, bank account numbers, and insurance policy contact information.

You should keep your home inventory and your important records in a safe place, such as a fireproof lockbox. Keeping copies of the items outside of the home is a great idea too. You can keep them at a friend’s house or in a safe deposit box. Always remember, after you make a significant purchase to add the information to your home inventory and keep it up to date.

Dial Insurance

Source: https://www.iii.org/article/brochure-home-inventory