Do You Really Need Umbrella Insurance?

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Home and auto insurance coverage are valuable commodities as they protect you against unexpected accidents that can deplete your financial assets. Umbrella coverage extends your liability protection beyond the limits of your basic policy, making it even more valuable. If you’re wondering if umbrella coverage is worth the cost, consider the following:

Serious Injury on Home Property

If you’re like most people, you probably entertain often. Friends or relatives may come for a summer pool party or BBQ or your neighbor’s kids may come to play with yours in the back yard. If an accident happens that causes injury to one of your visitors, you could be liable for their medical bills or be sued for damages. Your homeowner’s liability policy is sure to cover some of these expenses, but what if the bills amount to more than your basic coverage? Having umbrella insurance could save you thousands of dollars out of pocket.

Multi-vehicle Accident

The more you drive, the greater your risk of having an accident on the road. A crowded highway, busy intersection or slippery road could result in a multi-vehicle accident that causes serious injuries to other drivers or passengers. If you’re at fault of such an accident, basic auto insurance may be insufficient to cover all medical bills or property damage costs. Umbrella insurance will help pick up the tab so you don’t go into debt.

Whether you’re a homeowner, car owner, renter or landlord, umbrella insurance can come in handy to protect you, your family, business and personal assets. Even pet owners can benefit from umbrella coverage to cover medical expenses from a bite or injury their pet has caused.

A personalized umbrella policy from Runnels Insurance will provide you with the extra liability protection you need to suit your personal situation. Umbrella insurance will keep your assets safe from any eventuality. 

Top 3 Reasons to Insure Your Boat with Runnels Insurance

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With the summer months just beyond the horizon, it may be time to kick it into gear and get ready for those water sports. Moreover, given that Florida leads the nation in terms of boating accidents, making sure you have sufficient coverage should be the top priority. With that said, the following is an overview of three reasons you should insure your boat with Runnels Insurance. 

Mandatory 

To be frank, you need insurance no matter what. Although there is no law that states you must get your coverage from Runnels, given that Runnels is a family owned and operated company that has been in existence since 1991, who better to handle one of the most important elements of your life? 

Quality Customer Service

In addition to that, one of the best benefits of being insured through Runnels is that they provide outstanding customer service. With a sincere commitment to making sure, every client is fully satisfied, our agents go the extra mile to answer questions and quell concerns. 

Great Coverage

Lastly, given that paying out of pocket for accident expenses can be highly costly, every boater needs to have high-quality insurance. Offering great packages at a low cost, Runnels is an excellent place to purchase your policy for boating insurance. 

Proudly serving the area of Florida, Runnels Insurance offers a variety of quality insurance packages for people from all backgrounds. You can call, email or stop in today to start your policy immediately. At Runnels we take great pride in helping our customers save some money, addressing their concerns, and having them ready to hit the water in no time! 

Ways To Easily Organize Your Closet

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Most people love an organized closet. It makes things easier to find and it makes like easier on a daily basis because you can actually find the items you are looking for in order to complete an outfit. Unfortunately, wanting a closet to be organized and actually organizing a closet are two very different things. You can easily make a big difference in the closet, though, by using some of our helpful tips. Don’t forget to contact us at Runnels Insurance for all of your insurance needs. 

  • Get your shoes off the floor and put them on the door. You can do this by using an over the door shoe rack. This will allow you to organize your shoes on the back of the door. You will be able to find them in no time at all and you will be freeing up a lot of space on the floor for other items.
  • Use tiered hangers to free up closet rack space as well as put like clothes together. This is a space saving tip as well as an organization tip. There are a lot of different kinds of tiered hangers. You can find some specifically for pants, some for outfits, and others for blouses. Getting a few will allow you to put more clothes in the same amount of space as you did with one hanger as well as organize things together. 
  • Use shelf dividers to create more organization. Shelves are great in a closet and if you are lucky enough to have them, make the most out of them by using shelf dividers. You can create little cubby holes to put things like sweaters and purses in. By separating them, you are also creating more organization and you can keep like items together. 

Promoting safety in teen drivers

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Any parent will have some level of anxiety when it comes to letting their teenager out on the roads. Most people that age really can’t understand the gravity of responsibility before they get behind the wheel. You obviously don’t want to run the risk of making them too nervous though, as they’ll certainly never learn properly that way. Here are a few ways to promote safety in your home. 

Setting Them Up for Success 

Show them your commitment to safety first and foremost. Start by enrolling them in the best safety course in your area, and get them instructors who will care about their progress. You’ll also want them in a vehicle with the best in safety features. Automatic Emergency Brakes in newer cars will actually apply the brakes if your teen has too slow of a reaction period. Rearview cameras means they can see everything behind them in clear color. At the very least, their car should be equipped with airbags for accidents of any kind. 

Talk to Them 

Having a real conversation can sometimes be just what a teen needs to connect with you and the safety matters in question. Let them know that you’re there for them if they make a mistake and have too much to drink one night. Work out a plan for phone use, and ask specifically what they’ll do to keep themselves off their mobile device when they’re in motion. Be honest about your own driving experiences, and let them know just how much safety counts

Buying Insurance 

Runnels Insurance serves Brandon, FL, and they can help you find the right policy for your teen. Call for a quote and get the affordable policy you need to keep your child safe from criminals, accidents and more. 

 

How To Pick The Perfect Used Family Car

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There are a lot of dealerships in Brandon. When you are looking for the perfect used family car, there are a lot of things to consider. Knowing how to pick is going to help you get a better value for your purchase.

Compare

Compare the various vehicles out there. It pays not to be too picky in terms of color and make/model. Focus more on the value that you’re going to get. Plenty of websites allow you to check the inventory at multiple dealerships so you can look at the age of the car, the price, and the mileage.

Inspect

Have the car inspected before you buy it. The dealership may have inspected it and there may be others who can inspect it. Consider bringing it to a local mechanic shop for their input on whether the vehicle is worth the money. Any time a dealership doesn’t want you to bring it to a mechanic, be extremely worried because they may be hiding something from you.

Consider

Before you buy a used car, consider what kind of value you are getting. It’s possible to get a certified, pre-owned vehicle, which means it has already been inspected to the guidelines of the manufacturer, and comes with an extended warranty. You want relatively low miles so you can rely on the car for years to come. Three years is the magic number where the car’s not going to be too expensive, and not too old.

Ultimately, you have to be happy with your car, so do the research to ensure this happens.

Auto insurance is going to provide significant amounts of protection while you drive throughout Brandon, Florida. Call on one of our agents at Runnels Insurance can answer questions and obtain quotes to help you get affordable coverage.

 

 

Easy Spring Cleaning Tips To Follow

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Spring cleaning doesn’t need to be a giant hassle. In fact, if you play it out just right, you can clean your home efficiently and maybe even save a few dollars along the way with these simple easy spring cleaning tips. At Runnels Insurance, we know your time is important, so taking advantage of these tips should help you clean up your Brandon, FL home faster than ever before. 

Start Outside

The sun is out and the weather is feeling nice. Why not step outside for a bit of fresh air? You’ll need to clean the windows, but a good amount of the dirt probably accumulated on the outside of the windows. Cleaning this area of the windows first helps you see what you need to clean when you move back inside and the natural light can do wonders for your mood. 

One Cleaner Rules Them All

Switching between a half dozen different cleans not only is time consuming tracking down the right one, but it is expensive as well. If you go to the cleaning isle at the store, you’ll find dozens of options for the kitchen alone. Instead, just go with one. Check out the multi-surface cleaning products. It works well on just about anything you need to clean and is generally mild in nature. 

Change the Filter on Your Vacuum

Do you dread vacuuming your home because you have that "vacuum smell" when you are done? Nobody likes the aroma of dirt circulated through a a vacuum. When it starts to smell like this, it is time to change out the filter on your vacuum. This can instantly change the quality of air in your home. You can even toss some air fresheners designed for vacuums into the appliance. This way, not only does it clean your floors but improves the aroma of your home. 

Protect Your Parked Motorcycle to Prevent Theft

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Whether riding through Brandon, Florida or anywhere else in the country, there’s just nothing like being on the open rode and your own, personal transport. The main problem with motorcycles is these vehicles are far easier to steal than anything else out there. Skilled motorcycle thieves can grab and go with a bike in a matter of moments. It is up to you to prevent this from happening. At Runnels Insurance, we sell motorcycle coverage to protect your bike in the event of an accident and other occurrences, but we also want to make sure you never are faced with trying to hunt down a stolen bike either. 

Always Install a GPS

Most modern vehicles now have GPS tracking installed. However, the same is not the case with all motorcycles. This is something you need to invest in. With a GPS, even if something does happen to your bike, you can notify the police and give them the tracking information. Most stolen bikes are moved out of the area or chopped into pieces quickly, so locating the stolen motorcycle quickly is essential. GPS gives you this opportunity. 

Bike Cover

Perhaps you live in an apartment complex, and you simply do not have the ability to park in a garage. While parking under a covered parking space is a good idea, the next step is to add a bike cover. This hides the quality of your bike, and it makes it less identifiable to those looking to steal a bike. 

Always Lock it Up

Creating a skeleton key that works on most motorcycles isn’t as difficult as you might think, so locking your bike and wheels is not always going to work. This is why securing your bike with an external lock is necessary. 

Your Family Will Be Safe During a Disaster if You

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Your family will be safe during a disaster if you prepare adequately. You need to take into consideration the types of disasters that occur around the Brandon, FL area. You may be without power, and you may deal with flooding or fire. Some general disaster preparation you should do is simple tasks that can protect your family’s safety and health. 

1. Get Water Bottles

Buy an extra case of water and keep in on hand at all times. You can go about 72 hours without fluids; however, it can affect your health and comfort level. 

2. Food

You should stock up on food, so you have enough sustenance to last you for three days. You want to opt for items that are non-perishable. You may want to have a small refrigerator and a generator if you want to be on the safe side, but it’s not necessary. Your goal is to have enough food to get you through until the electric is restored or until you can find alternative shelter. 

3. Lights

Have a flashlight or two on hand in case of a power outage. Ultimately, you want enough flashlights for every person in your home, and they should be strategically placed,  so you can get to them easily. Always have spare batteries on hand in the general vicinity of the lights. Portable lanterns are great to have as well. You may want to have a battery-operated tap light in each room of your house. 

4. Radio

Have a radio that runs off of batteries. Don’t rely on your cell phone because your Wi-Fi won’t work if the power is off. The radio will be able to tell you recent weather changes and if an evacuation is necessary or any other special instructions to keep you and your family safe. 

Protect your home for your family’s sake with insurance through Runnels Insurance. 

How to Avoid a Collision with a Bicycle

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Avoiding a collision with a bicycle can be more difficult than it seems. Because they are smaller and slower, it is less likely that you will see them. Some common bicycle and vehicle scenarios may be helpful when you want to avoid a collision.

Parked Cars on the Side of the Road

When you are parked on the side of the road, be careful when opening your car door. It is easy for a bicyclist to run into you suddenly. Check your mirrors and over your shoulder before exiting your vehicle.

Backing Out of a Driveway

You usually watch for other vehicles as you back out of your driveway. You should also make a point of taking an extra look for bicyclists. Because they are moving at slower speeds, you make have to check twice before pulling into the road.

Left Turning Lane Vigilance

A collision that may happen when you are making a left turn is when you are opposite the cyclist. Because your traffic signal is green, you may not notice a bicycle riding across the lane you are turning in to. Even though the rider should have hopped off of their bike and walked it across the intersection, it is still your responsibility to be observant.

Right Turn Only Lanes

In Florida, bike lanes are visible on the right side of the road. The opposite is true for a right turn only lanes at intersections. When making a right turn, be aware that bicyclists will be on your left if they are going straight. Avoid a collision by looking over your shoulder when moving into a turn only lane.

For more information on car and bicycle safety, contact Runnels Insurance in Brandon, Florida. They are an independent insurance agency that handles new and existing policies for auto, home, flood, and other types of insurance options.

Renter’s Guide To Improvements: Closet Edition

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Many renters are focused on closet space. Sometimes, you cannot find the space you need or the design you have been looking for. There are ways, though, that you can make the most of a small closet so you can make it more like what you are looking for. No rental is perfect but if you can make the most of what you have, you are succeeding. Follow these tips to get the most out of the space. 

  • Remove the shelves if they do not work for you. You can easily remove these and put them back when you leave. They are generally just screwed into the wall. This makes it an easy transition both when you move in and when you move out. 
  • Add more shelves if needed. You can get bracket mounted shelves at any local hardware store. Once you are ready to move out, you will just need to remove them and spackle the walls. 
  • Remove the door. If you need more room, one easy way to do this is to remove the closet door. You can always put it back before you move out and this is as easy as removing the door from the hinges. 
  • If the space simply does not work for a closet, rethink it. You may be able to use it as a little desk area. Think outside the box and make sure you get the most out of the space, even if you do not use it as a closet. 

If you are a renter, you should have rental insurance to make sure all of your belongings are protected. Your landlord’s insurance does not cover your belongings. Contact Runnels Insurance serving Brandon, FL to explore your options and choose an insurance plan that is right for you.