For the first quarter of 2012, Spencer Insurance Agency will donate $5 for every referral you send us to the St. Vincent de Paul Society.  St. Vincent de Paul is all about “Neighbors helping Neighbors.”  With today’s economy, there are many heartbreaking circumstances right here in our community.  At Thanksgiving time, Tammy and I along with other adult volunteers coordinated a Thanksgiving Food Drive with our high school youth group at St. Luke’s parish in Glenside.  The Youth Group through St. Vincent de Paul Society was able to collect enough food to help several families in our area.

To find out more about this wonderful organization go to their website at http://svdp-phila.info. If you are able, please donate to this wonderful charity.

For more information on the Spencer Referral Reward$ Program, check out our website at www.spencerinsurance.com.
You may be our next Grand Prize winner or one of our monthly winners of the Spencer Big $pin.

Thank you for all your referrals.  We appreciate the confidence you place in Spencer Insurance Agency.

• Due to the number of natural disasters that have occurred in the last few years there has been a high demand for building supplies to repair or replace homes. This increased demand increases the cost of these supplies making rebuilding a home more expensive. Insurance companies want to make sure your coverage is still enough to rebuild your home so they will increase your Dwelling coverage each year by a cost of living adjustment, which in the “rebuilding world” has been around 4 to 5%.  Therefore, at minimum, your premium will increase due to the increase in your dwelling coverage.
•  In the last few years in Pennsylvania we have seen a hurricane, tornados, blizzards, severe thunderstorms and even an earthquake! The frequency of these events has taken its toll on insurance companies.  Many insurance companies are paying out more in claims than they are bringing in with premiums.  One of our carriers had more claims in the first six months of 2011 than they had in all of 2010.  These claim results were not anticipated when the rates were set up.  Adjustments to rates are necessary to maintain availability of homeowner’s insurance in Pennsylvania.
• It is important that you report claims as soon as possible directly to the insurance company. This will speed up the claims process. However, after you report the claim call and discuss your claim with us.  Most companies offer a “Loss Free” discount and also charge an additional premium if you make a claim. This could result in a large increase in your insurance rates.  Discuss your claim with us so we can review your options and make sure you don’t receive a small claim payout and get hit with a large rate increase.

The real question you should be asking is not “Why are my Homeowner’s Insurance rates going up?”, but “Do I have the proper coverage to protect me from all these events and are my Homeowner’s rates competitive?” 

This is where Spencer Insurance Agency can help you. . . 

Spencer Insurance Agency understands that the price of your insurance is important to your budget. However we realize that your “True Cost of Insurance” can be much higher if you are not properly protected. Always contact us before switching companies.

Spencer Insurance Agency customizes your insurance package to reflect the risk you face.  As Independent Insurance Agents, Spencer Insurance Agency represents several top rated insurance companies and can choose the company that has the right insurance package for your needs. We do the research for you. Spencer Insurance Agency may not be the lowest or highest price, but you will know you have the proper protection at a very competitive price.  Check with us to make sure you are getting all the discounts for which you are entitled.  Consider insuring your auto and home with the same company to maximize your discounts.

As the saying goes.  . . Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish!  Call us today for a review.

• The number of hours of supervised, behind the wheel skill building increased from 50 to 65. Ten of these hours must consist of nighttime driving and five of these hours must include driving in poor weather conditions.
•  For the first six months after receiving their junior driver’s license, a driver is not permitted to have more than one passenger under age 18 who is not an immediate family member (brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister of the junior driver and adopted or foster children living in the same household as the junior driver) in their vehicle unless they are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. If they have not been convicted of a driving violation or been partially or fully responsible for a reportable crash after six months, they may have up to three passengers under age 18 who are not immediate family members without a parent or legal guardian present. If they have any convictions or are partially or fully responsible for a reportable crash while a junior driver, they are once again restricted to one passenger. This restriction of only one passenger continues to age 18 for junior drivers who have crashes or violations.
• Drivers and occupants in a vehicle who are under the age of 18 must wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat belt, and
  children under the age of eight must be securely fastened in a child restraint system. Failure to comply with the new law’s seat belt provisions is a primary offense, meaning that a driver can be pulled over and cited solely for that violation.

For more information on the law go to http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/teenDriversCenter/newTeenDriversLaw.shtml.

Here is where Spencer Insurance Agency can help you .. .

•  Ask us for a copy of the Spencer Insurance FREE Home Study “Teach Your Teen to Drive” course. This course will provide 16 lessons to help train your Teen Driver.
• Check out our website  to be directed to our website designed for Parents of Teen Drivers.  Just click on the “Have a Teen Driver” icon.
• Sign up for our monthly online newsletter exclusively for the Parents of Teen Drivers. Send an email to info@spencerinsurance.com to start receiving these valuable newsletters.
• Call our office at 215-885-2200 to review your auto policy to make sure you have the proper coverage now that you have a teen driver.

These changes were designed to help protect Teen Drivers. Make sure you take the time to properly train your teen drivers.  Let
us know what you think about our teen driver website, monthly online newsletter and other materials we provide.  Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Make your comments  below.

Space Heater Safety Tips

• Do not use an extension cord or strip plug with your space heater. If you must use an extension cord, make sure it is a     heavy duty cord marked with a power rating at least as high as that on the label of the heater itself.
• Place the power cord so that no one steps on or trips over it. Inspect the heater’s cord periodically to look for frayed wire or damaged insulation. Do not use a space heater with a damaged cord.
• Turn off the heater when you leave the room and unplug the heater when you leave for the day.
• When buying a heater, look for one that has been tested and labeled by a nationally recognized testing company.
• Place the heater on a level surface away from areas where someone might bump it and knock it over.
• Keep electric heaters away from water. Never use them near a sink or in the bathroom.
• Use space heaters only as a supplementary source of heat. These devices are not intended to replacethe home’s heating system.
• Check periodically for a secure plug/outlet fit. If the plug becomes very hot, the outlet may need to be replaced by a     qualified technician. This could be the sign of a potential home wiring  issue.
• Heaters should be placed on a flat, level surface. Do not place heaters on furniture since they may fall and become   damaged or break parts in the heater.
• Unless the heater is designed for use outdoors or in bathrooms, do not use in damp,wet areas.
• Keep the heater at least three feet away from bedding, drapes, furniture, and any other flammable or combustible     materials.
• Keep children and pets away from space heaters.

I hope these tips help keep you and your family, safe this winter season.

Thank You for your business and referrals this past year and best wishes for a healthy, happy and successful 2012 from all of us at Spencer Insurance Agency.

We look forward to being of service to you in the coming year.  Let us know how we can help you.

Driving down the street last weekend with the wet leaves covering the road reminded me that the leaves soon will be replaced with ice and snow.  This is the time to start thinking of ways to take the opportunity to teach your teen drivers how to drive safely in bad road conditions.

Parents should not avoid taking their children out during bad weather to teach them how to handle these conditions.  It is probably one of the most difficult lessons to administer.  The reason is that parents feel very uncomfortable putting their children behind the wheel in these conditions.  This is only natural as your instinct wants to protect your children.

However, eventually they will be driving in these conditions whether it is heavy rain, wet leaves, snow or ice.  It is better to prepare them for these conditions with a few lessons.

The tough part of this training is that it has to be done on a moments notice.  Depending on when your teen receives their permit you may not see snow or ice for a year or more.  So as soon as the opportunity presents itself jump on it.  It will be a valuable lesson for your teen.

When starting this lesson go back and remember the first lesson you gave your teen.  It was probably in some remote area like an empty parking lot.  That is a great place to start this
training.  Even though your teen may have been driving for a while they have not experience the effects of ice and snow on the car.

Take them out into that empty parking lot where you have some room to maneuver.  Have them brake on the snow and ice.  Show them it takes more time to stop when sliding on ice and snow.  Explain to them the importance of putting more distance between their car and the car in front of them when it rains, snows or is icy on the roads. Keep practicing braking, turning and steering through the snow and ice.  Discuss what black ice is.

Take time to go over safety checks with your teen.  Show them how to properly clear their car of snow and ice.  Make sure they remove all the snow from their car and not just the snow on the windshield.  How many times have you been behind a car or truck and snow blew off the top of their truck or car and landed right on your windshield blinding you temporarily

Show your teen how to get leaves and snow out of the area  surrounding your windshield wipers.  Have them make sure the wipers are free of snow and ice and that the windshield
washer fluid tubes are not blocked by ice and snow.  Make sure the windshield washer fluid is full and that you have a backup container in the trunk of the car.

Another tip is to put together a winter safety kit for each of your cars.  Use a small plastic container and fill it with the following items: blanket, spare gloves and hat,
small shovel, emergency flasher and flashlight, sand or cat liter, and windshield washer fluid.  Make sure you car also has an ice scraper and a brush to remove snow from the top of your
car.

Remember your teen’s inexperience and poor decisions are only compounded when they drive in bad weather conditions.  Take the time to practice how to drive in these conditions.  It is valuable time spent making your teen a safer driver.

For more tips on teen driving safety visit: www.spencerinsurance.com and click the “Make your Teen a Safe Driver” banner.

I have developed a sheet of paper called the Disaster Preventer, which asks for your most recent contact information, (just to make sure we have the latest numbers and email addresses), and up to three Emergency Contacts.  We will hold your contact’s names in confidence and will not solicit them as clients.  Please take a moment and complete this form and return it to our office.  This way if anything happens and we need to contact you we will be able to find you.

Why would we need it?

• Your home is badly damaged due to a fire while you are on vacation
• Your business is broken into late one Friday evening and the police are trying to find you
• You are hurt in an auto accident and the police find your insurance card with our information and call us.

If you have not already filed your Emergency Contact information with our office I urge you to do it NOW!  Also, make sure your friends and family send
their agent their Emergency Contact information. Send us your “Disaster Preventer” today!

• Winterize your house
• Insulate pipes
• Insulate walls and attics
• Caulking and weather stripping doors and window will save energy costs
• Check your fireplace and chimney and make sure they are clean and free of nests
• Check your thermostat and furnace
• Clean your gutters and downspouts
• Put new batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
• Make sure your fire extinguishers are in working order
• Drain your garden hoses
• Tune up the snow blower and drain gas from your lawn mower
• Make sure you have snow shovels and salt
• Learn how to shut off your water valve should a pipe burst
• Make a plan on checking on your elderly family members

Making preparations now can help you reduce claims and save money on your homeowner’s insurance and reduce your energy costs.
For more tips on saving money on your insurance visit our website.

We are also grateful for the many referrals you send us during the year.

As my daughter, Laura, gets married this Saturday, I am very thankful that she found a great guy.  Congratulations Dan and Laura.  Welcome to the Spencer family Dan!

Have a great weekend!

Pennsylvania law does not allow you to have a car registered that does not have car insurance.  If you store a car temporarily and want to remove the car insurance on that vehicle
you need to send your license plate back to the state.  If you don’t return the plate you can be fined, your registration can be suspended, and you can have your license suspended if found driving a car without insurance.

If you want to store a vehicle for the winter or any other time of year call our office to discuss your options.  Check with us before you get fined.  Other states may have similar laws so always check first.  If you are in Pennsylvania, get a fact sheet and a link to the Pa law.

If you live in the area you can go to our website to link to your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.