12 Must-Have Winter Emergency Car Kit Items

A snow-covered landscape may be a beautiful sight, but icy roads, strong winds and snowdrifts can make winter driving treacherous. It’s wise to have an emergency kit in your car in case it gets stuck or breaks down. Here are some items it should contain:

 

 

1. Ice scraper or snow brush

 

Poor visibility can make driving dangerous. Remove ice and snow from your all your windows.

 

2. Windshield washer fluid

 

Since you may use more windshield washer fluid on snowy and icy days, keep your fluid reservoir full and carry an extra jug of winter-rated fluid in your trunk.

 

3. Foldable shovel

 

Stuck in the snow? It’s smart to keep a small shovel in your trunk to help dig your wheels out.

 

4. Sand, salt, or cat litter

 

Keep a bag of sand or cat litter in your trunk. Throw several handfuls under spinning tires for better traction on snow or ice.

 

5. Jumper cables

 

Car batteries take a beating in the winter, so carry jumper cables. Be sure to read directions about how to connect them to a working vehicle.

 

6. Flares or reflective triangles

 

You want to be seen if your car breaks down or is stuck. Emergency flashing lights, flares and reflective triangles can alert oncoming traffic of your plight.

 

7. Flashlight and batteries

 

Always carry a flashlight and fresh batteries. It helps you to see and be seen by other drivers.

 

8. Tow rope

 

A tow rope of proper strength can be used to pull your vehicle out by another. Check your car’s owners manual for how and where to attach the rope and how to proceed.

 

9. Cell phone and charger

 

Be sure your cell phone is fully charged or you have a phone charger in your car. Or consider having a backup phone to contact a towing service or emergency personnel.

 

10. First-aid kit

 

A first-aid kit can save your life in an emergency. Consider purchasing a pre-stocked kit or make sure your DIY version contains bandages, antibiotic ointment, gauze pads, antiseptic, scissors, thermometer, safety pins, tweezers and hand sanitizer.

 

11. Blankets and hand warmers

 

Keep a warm blanket, sleeping bag or metallic “space blanket” in your car to help retain body heat and keep you warm if you’re stranded. Hand warmers and an extra pair of gloves are smart ideas, as well.

 

12. Bottled water

 

A person can live for days without food, but our bodies need water. Avoid dehydration by stashing several bottles of water in your trunk.

 

If you live where snowfall is common, a winter emergency car kit is essential, but take precautions to avoid getting into an emergency situation. Have your mechanic give your car a bumper-to-bumper once-over to ensure it’s ready for winter driving.

Riding Your Motorcycle in a Storm

      

 

It's storm season and a surprise shower can pop up any time. Make sure you know what to do if you’re riding your motorcycle in the rain.

Keep your visor clean

Keep the surface of your visor polished to reduce the interference of rain on your vision. A clean visor allows raindrops to form a single film which is easier to see through than a sprinkling of separate drops.

Handle aquaplaning

Aquaplaning happens when there is so much water on the road that your tires don’t have contact with the road and just ride on the water. If this happens to you, reduce your speed until you regain control of the bike. Keep in mind that broader tires are more likely to aquaplane than narrow tires, so shop accordingly.

Relax your body

It may seem counterintuitive, but if you relax your muscles when riding in a storm your motorcycle will be easier to steer. Tense muscles cause more resistance that you have to compensate for, while loose muscles allow your body to function as a sail and glide through the wind. So, try to relax if you’re caught in a storm.

Stay at home

Be smart when deciding when to ride your bike: if you wouldn’t go out walking or in a car, just stay home.

Keep protected

Even when you take precautions, accidents can happen. Make sure you’re covered with motorcycle insurance from a trusted company like Nationwide.

Water, water everywhere, but no flood insurance

What’s wrong with us? We’ve lost thousands of dollars of household goods and priceless remembrances because of torrents of water in our streets, homes and basements — yet we still don’t have flood insurance.

Some 81% of Americans know that the standard homeowners’ insurance policy doesn’t cover flood damage, but barely one in 10 has a flood-insurance policy, according to Bankrate.com.

What’s more, flooding is the No. 1 natural hazard in the U.S., according to the National Flood Insurance Program, a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Flash floods alone are the top weather-related killer in the U.S.

“Flooding is very common, and people need to wake up to the fact that they may need flood insurance,” says Doug Whiteman, insurance analyst at Bankrate.com, which recently asked people what they knew about flood insurance.

It’s something to consider ahead of this year’s hurricane season, which is roughly June 1 through Nov. 1 and is forecast to be a tough one.

Meteorologists at the University of Colorado warn that the tropical Atlantic has warmed unusually over the past several months, and there’s an “above-average probability” that a major hurricane will make landfall. They’re looking for nine hurricanes this year, four of which are expected to be major, and 18 named storms. Remember that it’s not always the hurricane’s winds that wreak havoc, but the storm surges and flooding that come with them.

As entire neighborhoods throughout the Midwest grapple with heavy spring rains and flooding, just six months after Hurricane Sandy lambasted the East Coast from Florida to the New England states, we find that one in five homeowners still seems clueless about flood insurance. That’s true even after insurance agents reported a surge in new flood-insurance policies in New York and New Jersey post-Hurricane Sandy.

You must get a flood-insurance policy on top of your homeowners’ insurance. The basic homeowners’ policy underwrites your home’s structure, your personal belongings like furniture, clothes, electronics, and sports equipment, liability and additional living expenses if you cannot stay in your home because of damage from a fire, storm or any other insured disaster. All, of course, have limits — and one of them is if the home is flooded. In some high-risk areas, you won’t be able to get a mortgage without flood insurance.

There’s a good tool at Floodsmart.gov that will give you the risk level of your property and direct you to insurance brokers who can help you get coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program. The average flood-insurance policy will set you back about $600 a year, though costs vary widely.

Here’s what you should know about flood insurance:

• It covers physical damage to your property and possessions.

• You may need both building and contents coverage. Building insurance covers the home’s foundation and the equipment necessary to keep it running, like a furnace, water heater and circuit breaker. It will even underwrite carpeting, paneling and wallboard. Contents insurance covers items like a washer and dryer, a freezer and the food inside it.

• Flood insurance doesn’t cover moisture, mildew or mold that could have been avoided. Nor does it cover property outside the house, like the deck, sidewalks and hot tubs. Not all basements are covered either.

• The costs vary, depending on the design and age of the property, what the flood risk is and the amount of coverage.

• The coverage doesn’t start when your check is cleared. There’s typically a 30-day waiting period, which means if you’re looking to avoid this year’s hurricane season, now is the time to jump in.

Connecticut Commissioner Offers Advice on Preparing for Winter Storm

As the Northeast and New England states brace for a major blizzard, Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Thomas Leonardi is offering policyholders tips on preparing for the storm and filing claims if there is property loss.

“One of the most important things consumers can do right now is take stock of what they have. Take the time now to make a home inventory or update an existing one,” Commissioner Leonardi said. “This will be extremely helpful should the need arise to file a claim. Do not hesitate to contact the insurance department if you have questions or complaints.”

Commissioner Leonardi offered the following advice on what types of damages may or may not be covered. The commissioner said, however, that policies may vary in coverage. He recommended that consumers contact their insurance agent or the state insurance department with questions about the specifics of their policies.

• Snow removal: Homeowners insurance does not cover injuries to the homeowner during snow removal. However, snow removal professionals should be covered under their own liability policies.

• Ice dams: Interior or exterior damage caused by an ice dam on a roof is generally covered. However, many policies do not pay for ice dam removal.

• Frozen pipes: Most policies cover pipe replacement and water damage. However, coverage may not apply if the homeowner turned off the furnace for the winter without winterizing the home.

• Tree Damage: In general, the policyholder of the property that is damaged by a falling tree – not the tree owner – should file the claim with his or her insurance company. The insurance policy covers the cost to remove the tree from the damaged property and the resulting damage, minus the deductible. If the tree damaged a covered structure, the claim would be made on the homeowner’s policy. If the tree damaged a vehicle, the claim would be made on the auto insurance policy.

• Storm power outages: An all-risk policy generally pays for damage caused by loss of power and appliances damaged by the outage. Check the policy to see if it covers spoiled food. Most policies will not pay for shelter when the homeowner loses power for extended periods of time unless there is damage to the home that causes it to be uninhabitable.

• Renters: Landlord’s insurance will pay for winter damage to building. It will not pay for damage to personal contents, which must be covered by the renter’s own insurance.

Before the storm, the commissioner recommends the following steps for consumers:

• Keep the policy and other important documents together in a safe place.

• Review the policy to understand the coverage – call the company or agent with questions.

• Create or update the home inventory. Take photos of the possessions and Note model and serial numbers. Assemble original sales receipts and/or appraisal documents.

After the storm, consumers are advised to take following steps if damages have been sustained:

• Call the insurance company’s 24-hour claims phone number as soon as possible; provide policy number and other relevant information and documents.

• Take photographs/video of the damage. Make repairs necessary to prevent further damage, but do not make permanent repairs until the insurance company inspects the damage.

• Save all receipts from temporary repairs.

• Keep a diary of all conversations, e-mails and other correspondence with the company.

Know How To Make A Storm Claim

Know what to do before you have to make a claim because of a hurricane or heavy storm.

Storms abound in the summer months, and hurricanes or tropical storms can appear on the radar well into this time of the year. Since it's the heart of hurricane season, take precautions — if you haven't already — to protect your belongings, including boats and other vehicles, from damage caused by hurricanes or other heavy storms. Here are a few things you can do ahead of time to help you plan for an evacuation. That way, if you have to evacuate, you can focus on the safety of you and your loved ones during that time.

 Take Vehicles With You if You Can

 

Cars, motorcycles, RVs — no matter what you own, bring it with you if you have the means.

 

Not only can RVs serve as a comfortable shelter, they can accommodate several people. Don't forget to keep safety in mind while you stay in your RV: Remember to have safety accessories, such as fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, installed and checked first.

Boats and motorcycles can be trailered behind your car or RV, too.

Secure Your Boat, RV or Other Vehicles Staying Behind

If you're not able to bring your car, boat, RV, motorcycle or other type of vehicle with you, follow these measures to secure them:

· Park vehicles indoors when possible.

· If it's not possible to park inside, choose higher ground that's located close to a sturdy building for more protection. Make sure your vehicle is secured away from trees, poles or other large objects that could fall on it.

· Secure RV awnings so the wind won't tear them away.

· It's best to remove your boat from the water and move it inland before a storm hits. Boats left unsecured can not only be damaged by wind or flying objects from hurricane forces, but they can float away if waters rise. If it's secured properly, your boat is much more likely to survive a storm inland than on water. To secure it, have extra lines, chafe protection, fenders, anchors, port plus, duct tape and extra batteries.

 

Remember this simple tip: If you can't take it with you, make sure you secure it as safely as possible. Prepare for a claim, too regardless of whether you have a car, motorcycle or luxury RV, these tips can prepare you — and help expedite — any claims you might have to make after a hurricane or heavy storm.

· Verify what kind of insurance coverage you have.
If you've taken all the precautions but still find yourself in a situation where you have to make a claim after a storm, it’s vital that you have Comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive coverage covers damages resulting from high winds, flooding or other weather-related factors. With this coverage, you'll likely have to pay a deductible out of pocket, but deductibles often start as low as $50.

 

· Don't just take important documents with you. Waterproof them, too.
If you have to evacuate, you should take documents — including your insurance papers — with you in a waterproof bag or container. Even if you don't have to evacuate, it’s a good idea to keep these documents in a waterproof container, to help minimize time spent on the phone or working through a claim if you have to make one after the storm. With select insurance companies, you can also access important documents online. So, if you don't have your papers on hand, you can find them online by logging in to your policy any time.

 

· Report damage as soon as possible.
If any of your vehicles are damaged, report the damage as soon as you can. The sooner your insurance company knows about it, the sooner it can begin resolving your claim. Some insurance companies offer 24-hour claims reporting by phone or online, so you can access your company and your claim at any time. If you're not sure whether your company has 24/7 service, make sure you have a phone number for your agent or your company on hand to report the claim during business hours.

 

· Take pictures of everything.
Pictures can help your insurance company identify and find your vehicles if they've floated or flow away during a storm. They also can provide insight on items attached to your vehicle that may have been lost or damaged during a hurricane or heavy storm.

 

Make Safety Your Top Priority

Your safety should always be your major concern when preparing for and evacuating because of a hurricane. Remember to give yourself plenty of time to implement your evacuation plan, and make sure your family members or others who plan to leave with you also know the drill. You may even want to practice a couple of times to ensure things run as smoothly as possible.

Following these tips well before a storm hits your area can help you stay calm during an evacuation. Plus, knowing you've done what you can to prepare for a storm, as well as for any claims you might have to make afterward, can provide much-needed peace of mind during turbulent times.