When the Lights Go Out: Preparing for Power Loss

Power outages can happen anytime in Brandon, FL. You may suddenly lose power due to tropical storms, or even from someone running into a utility pole in your neighborhood. Dealing with a power outage is easy–and can even be fun–if you have taken time to prepare. Runnels Insurance offers tips on making the most out of a power outage.

Lights and Entertainment

Lighting is simple with today’s selection of LED flashlights and emergency lighting kits. Stock up on inexpensive LED flashlights and batteries, or for a few dollars more you could even install a few emergency lights. This type of lighting is powered by a heavy-duty battery and is made specifically for emergency events.

Keep board games and books on hand. Treat the outage like a camping trip—or an impromptu vacation from electronic devices. What better to do during down time than some family bonding over a word game or a trivia competition?

Create a Stockpile

No need to buy food to last your family for years; but, consider stocking enough staples to feed your family for at least several days’ time in the case of a significant outage. Keep a manual can-opener on hand to use in a pinch. Also, make sure to have enough drinking water to keep each family member well-hydrated during a mid-summer outage.

Power Up

If you experience more power outages than you care to deal with, consider investing in a generator. Even small generators can provide enough power to help you accomplish cooking on an electric griddle and taking care of basic household needs.

Runnels Insurance wants to make sure all of your home’s needs are met. For more tips on power outage preparation, or to see how Runnels Insurance can help you find the best homeowners’ insurance policy for your budget, contact us today.

Best Ways To Avoid Accidents During Deer Season in Brandon, FL

 Deer mating season and migration season generally fall in the autumn and winter months for most of the United States. During this time collisions are increased for drivers, especially those in rural areas. You can decrease your chances of colliding with a deer, however, by following this tips.

Slow Down

You should not just slow down when in a wooded area, but you should slow down period during this time of year. Deer have been known to collide with vehicles in a variety of locations. Just because you are on the express way or in a heavily populated place, does not mean you will not meet a deer. The slower you are going the more reaction time you will have should you meet a deer.

Pay Attention at Dusk and Dawn

Deer move around the most at dusk and dawn. During these times of day you should really decrease your speed and pay attention. Deer also like to hang around the same areas. So if you have already seen deer in an area it is likely you will see them again in this same area.

Where There is One There Are More

Deer travel in herds, so if you spot one his friends are not far behind. Once you have spotted a deer, you should decrease your speed and blow your horn a few times to scare off any other deer who are getting ready to dart across the road.

Don’t Swerve

If you think you are going to hit a deer then brake hard and brace for the collision. Swerving to avoid hitting the deer almost always causes a more serious accident. Swerving can cause collisions with oncoming traffic or it can cause your vehicle to wind up off the road, colliding with a tree or worse. The impact the deer will have on your vehicle is far less than the impact of another car, a tree or a pole.

To learn more about vehicle safety during deer season and insurance concerns contact Runnels Insurance now serving Brandon, FL.

Fun Things To Do Inside With Kids This Winter

During the winter months, it may be too cold to send the kids outside to play, even in Brandon. This means you want to know about some of the fun things for kids to do indoors.

Salt Dough

There are various recipes for salt dough that you can create. It is similar to play dough, but you can create it on your own. This allows you to choose the colors. There is a version where you can bake the final creations, allowing the kids to paint afterwards. It also ensures that you can keep the creations without them drying out and cracking.

Reading

Reading is an activity that can be a lot of fun – and you can have the kids do some quiet time reading or you can let them choose a book and read it out loud. If you run out of books throughout the winter, have them write their own.

Board Games

Board games are a necessity during the winter months. As the colder weather starts to approach, you may want to consider whether you have enough games. You can always go shopping at the toy store or even at yard sales for some new games so that the kids don’t get tired of what they already have. It may also be a good idea to encourage their creativity and have them create their own board game. Lay out pieces of poster board with markers and let them create a game with dice, trivia cards, or something else.

At Runnels Insurance, we’re here to help you with homeowner’s insurance and more. Contact one of our independent insurance agents today to learn about what we have to offer. We’re ready to answer your questions and get quotes from top insurance companies in Florida.

 

Prep Your Car In FL For The Fall Months

Even though it may not snow in Brandon, it is still important to prep your car for the fall months. This is because there is going to be colder weather and it can take a toll on your car. You don’t want performance to be lowered and you don’t want to be uncomfortable in the car at any time, either.

Performance can be affected in a number of ways because of the cold weather. This means you will want to schedule some maintenance with your car. Think about:

  • Brake inspection
  • Tire inspection
  • HVAC service

Each of these are important for their own reasons. You want to make sure that the brakes are capable of stopping. Tire tread needs to be strong enough that it can grip the roads. The HVAC service will ensure that the heat works and that your defroster system is effective.

There are a few things you should think about replacing in the fall as well. This includes the cabin air filter as well as wiper blades. Even though it may not snow or sleet in Florida, it can rain heavily and you want to be able to clear the windshield effectively.

It is also a good idea to use the fall as a reminder to have your battery checked. You will often get absolutely no warning signs that your battery is going to fail, so sometimes it can be helpful to simply replace it, especially if it has been several years.

At Runnels Insurance, we are here to help you every way we can. Let us give you tips on how to protect your car as well as yourself when you are on and off the roads. We can get you a quality policy in Brandon, Florida so you have nothing to worry about.

Liability Coverage Protects You from Accidents You Cause

Liability coverage is an important component of renters insurance, although some policies don’t include it as standard coverage. Designed to protect you from accidents that you cause, it can protect you when you’re found responsible for a covered incident. If you don’t know whether your renters insurance policy includes liability coverage, contact us at Runnels Insurance. We’ll help you make sure you find the protection you need.

Liability Coverage Protects You from Yourself

Unlike insurance coverage that protects you against vandals and thieves, liability coverage doesn’t protect you from someone else. Instead, it protects you from yourself. When you’re held responsible, or liable, for a covered incident, your liability insurance will protect you. The specific scenarios liability coverage may provide protection or will depend on your renters insurance policy’s terms and conditions. Here are three examples that might qualify as a covered incident, depending on your policy:

  • a fire that you start and spreads throughout your apartment building
  • legal fees associated with an incident that took place in your apartment
  • damage you cause to someone’s property when you’re outside of your apartment

Our Insurance Agents Compare Liability Coverage Rates

At Runnels Insurance, we have independent insurance agents who can compare any renters insurance policy offered in Florida against others ones that are available. They’ll be happy to review your current policy’s liability coverage and rates. If there’s a renters insurance policy that provides more liability coverage for less money, they can help you switch.

To get in touch with one of our Florida-licensed independent insurance agents, call our office or, if you’d prefer, send us an email through our website. One of our agents will respond quickly and begin helping you find the best rates on renters insurance policies with liability coverage.

 

Car Life Extension Tips: 3 You Need To Know

It’s important that you get the life out of your car that you anticipate when you buy it. New or used, there are tips that can be used to ensure you can extend the life. Many of them are common sense, yet so many people forget about them.

Don’t Run the AC so Much

It can get very hot in Brandon, FL, especially during the summer time. However, running the AC too long is going to put extra strain on the engine because that is where the power is generated from. You can cut down on the heat by parking in the shade, using a windshield shade, and driving with the windows down.

Don’t Forget to Inflate

The temperature can change dramatically from season to season, and sometimes even day by day. This can cause tires to deflate quickly, and this means you have to make sure that you are inflating your tires on a regular basis. Check the PSI to what is recommended. More than a third of all drivers are driving with lower PSI than what they should – and it can make an impact on car life.

Stay Tuned

Your engine should be tuned on a regular basis, and this includes getting regular oil changes and having the oil filter replaced. If your engine is not tuned, it can increase fuel consumption, and cause an array of car problems down the road. Simple car maintenance can go a long way to make sure that your car lasts for many years to come.

Call us at Runnels Insurance today so we can search for quotes for you in Florida. Throughout the Brandon area, having auto insurance is imperative and we will work to find you an affordable policy to provide you with peace of mind.