http://www.griffinowens.com/blog/View Griffin-Owens Insurance Specialists's Website Blogen-uspostmaster@www.griffinowens.comInsurance Website Builder - www.insurancewebsitebuilder.comurn:uuid:059b7909-429e-4d0d-9bda-4533918b1225urn:uuid:99c9b2a3-50ad-4deb-85cf-1c3869ff6dc4<img src='http://www.griffinowens.com/img/%7Ewww.griffinowens.com/Car%20stuck%20in%20snow.jpg' align='left' /> A cool head and a little preparation will have you free in no time. If you&rsquo;re stuck in the middle of a big pile of snow or on a stretch of ice, you could depend upon the kindness of strangers to free you. Or you can take charge yourself. Here...Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:45:06 -0600<div style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" width="597" height="241" src="/img/%7Ewww.griffinowens.com/Car%20stuck%20in%20snow.jpg" /></div> <h3 class="subtitle">A cool head and a little preparation will have you free in no time.</h3> <a name="topstory"></a> <p>If you&rsquo;re stuck in the middle of a big pile of snow or on a stretch of ice, you could depend upon the kindness of strangers to free you. Or you can take charge yourself. Here&rsquo;s how.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Carry some weight.</strong> Packing a couple of sandbags in the trunk of your car can do more than help provide traction when you&rsquo;re stuck. If you have a rear-wheel drive vehicle, they can help you avoid getting stuck in the first place. That&rsquo;s because they add weight to the back, which enhances tire grip.<br /> &nbsp;</li> <li><strong>Gain traction.</strong> Add a shovel to the sandbags, and you&rsquo;ll be able to pile sand under your tires to increase grip if you find your tires slipping on snow or ice. Of course, you should shovel as much snow or ice as possible from the path of your tires before you throw down the sand. Salt, dirt or even kitty litter will also do the trick.<br /> &nbsp;</li> <li><strong>Rock your ride.</strong> Once your tire paths are cleared and the sand is on the ground, your driving skill must take over as you rock your way free of the snow. &ldquo;You go into drive, then reverse, then repeat,&rdquo; says Mark Osborne, who oversees Michigan Technological University&rsquo;s Winter Driving School. &ldquo;But you have to be careful not to wreck your transmission. I put my foot on the brake at the peak of each &lsquo;rock,&rsquo; so the car is motionless when I change gears. It&rsquo;s also helpful to shift to neutral for a second before making the transition.&rdquo;<br /> &nbsp;</li> <li><strong>Don&rsquo;t floor it.</strong> You&rsquo;ll always be tempted to floor it if you&rsquo;re stuck. But don&rsquo;t. Go easy on the pedal to give the vehicle just a little gas for a moment, then let off. Repeat to enhance the needed &ldquo;rocking&rdquo; motion. It&rsquo;s momentum that sets you free, not power.<br /> &nbsp;</li> <li><strong>Keep a cool head.</strong> Hitting a stretch of slick, icy stuff will often trigger panic. But you need to stay calm. Don&rsquo;t do anything abrupt, like slamming the brakes. &ldquo;If you do that, you&rsquo;ll transfer your vehicle&rsquo;s weight to your front wheels,&rdquo; Osborne says. &ldquo;That lightens up the rear, making it likely that your rear end will spin.&rdquo; Instead, Osborne says, gradually let off the gas and hold the steering steady until you&rsquo;ve cleared the ice.</li> </ul> <div class="secondary_content"> <p>Don&rsquo;t Get Stuck The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nationwide.com/roadside-assistance.jsp?NWOSS=roadside+assistance&amp;NWOSSPos=1">Nationwide Roadside Assistance</a> program helps ensure you&rsquo;ll have help when you need it. Ask your agent how to add coverage to your policy.</p> </div> <div id="sidebar-right"> <div id="sidebar-right-inner" class="region region-right"> <div id="block-views-related_articles-block_1" class="block block-views region-even even region-count-2 count-2"> <div class="block-inner"> <div class="content"> <div class="view view-related-articles view-id-related_articles view-display-id-block_1 view-dom-id-2"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first"><a href="http://www.mynationwidemagazine.com/21-things-stash-your-trunk-winter" title="21 Things to Stash in Your Trunk This Winter" alt="21 Things to Stash in Your Trunk This Winter">21 Things to Stash in Your Trunk This Winter</a> <div class="views-field-phpcode-1"> Be prepared for any winter driving emergency when you have this kit in the car. </div> </div> <div class="views-row views-row-2 views-row-even views-row-last"> <a href="http://www.mynationwidemagazine.com/auto" class="related_topics_link_inside"></a> <a href="http://www.mynationwidemagazine.com/driving-winter-wonderland" title="Driving in a Winter Wonderland" alt="Driving in a Winter Wonderland">Driving in a Winter Wonderland</a> <div class="views-field-phpcode-1"> Get your car ready before the temperature drops. </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>urn:uuid:487c3ee6-2fa6-4acc-a1bb-c1dac6ddc753<img src='http://www.griffinowens.com/img/%7Ewww.griffinowens.com/NW_1211_IcyRoads.jpg' align='left' /> Call it the invisible menace. Black ice hides in shadowy seclusion, in the worst travel conditions, waiting to do damage to motorists. &ldquo;The term, &lsquo;black ice,&rsquo; is a misnomer,&rdquo; says Dennis Madden, CEO of the Automatic Transmis...Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:16:45 -0600<p><img alt="" src="/img/%7Ewww.griffinowens.com/NW_1211_IcyRoads.jpg" /><br /> <br /> Call it the invisible menace. Black ice hides in shadowy seclusion, in the worst travel conditions, waiting to do damage to motorists.</p> <p>&ldquo;The term, &lsquo;black ice,&rsquo; is a misnomer,&rdquo; says Dennis Madden, CEO of the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s actually just a patch of smooth, clear ice. Because it&rsquo;s clear, all you see is the roadway below. In fact, the only real difference between the appearance of dry roadway and black ice is a glaze you can discern when the light is just right. Like a reflection from your headlights.&rdquo;</p> <p>Madden offers the following &ldquo;best practices&rdquo; for driving in conditions that produce black ice.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Keep alert.</strong> Anticipate black ice formation and look for the sheen on the road. &ldquo;Black ice only occurs when there&rsquo;s water around,&rdquo; says Madden. &ldquo;Conditions such as freezing rain, sleet or snow that melted the day before are all likely sources. It also has to be cold enough for the water to freeze.&rdquo;<br /> &nbsp;</li> <li><strong>Know when and where black ice forms.</strong> Typically, black ice forms during the evening, or in the morning in shady areas. Also, be careful on bridges. &ldquo;Black ice likes bridges because the cold air blows above and below,&rdquo; Madden says. &ldquo;This causes water to freeze faster than on nearby roads.&rdquo;<br /> &nbsp;</li> <li><strong>Stay calm.</strong> If you unsuspectingly hit a patch of black ice, don&rsquo;t slam on the brakes. &ldquo;Maintain your speed and direction and you&rsquo;ll pass right over it,&rdquo; Madden says. &ldquo;The key to driving on ice is understanding momentum. Your car wants to continue traveling in its current direction and speed. As long as you don&rsquo;t try to change momentum by slowing the car or direction by turning the wheel, you should make it through OK.&rdquo;<br /> &nbsp;</li> <li><strong>Steer in the direction of the skid.</strong> &ldquo;This should be easy because it&rsquo;s your natural reaction,&rdquo; Madden says. &ldquo;If necessary, as you skid, try to gently direct your vehicle to the safest place to stop, such as the shoulder or a field.&rdquo;</li> </ul> <div class="secondary_content"> <p>Help on the Road Ask your agent about adding <a href="http://www.nationwide.com/roadside-assistance.jsp" target="_blank">Nationwide Roadside Assistance</a> coverage to your policy, so you&rsquo;ll have the help you need on winter roads.</p> </div>urn:uuid:69f85bb5-937c-4b16-80e5-93e475eb77cf<img src='http://www.griffinowens.com/img/%7Ewww.griffinowens.com/NW_1011_Motorcycle.jpg' align='left' /> Make sure your ride is ready when you park it for the season. &ldquo;Four wheels move the body,&rdquo; the saying goes. &ldquo;Two wheels move the soul.&rdquo; Those who own motorcycles know that feeling well. Which is why it&rsquo;s so difficult t...Sat, 26 Nov 2011 11:20:27 -0600<p><img width="296" height="124" src="/img/%7Ewww.griffinowens.com/NW_1011_Motorcycle.jpg" alt="Motorcycle Insurance" /> </p> <p><strong>Make sure your ride is ready when you park it for the season.</strong></p> <p><a name="topstory"></a>&ldquo;Four wheels move the body,&rdquo; the saying goes. &ldquo;Two wheels move the soul.&rdquo; Those who own motorcycles know that feeling well. Which is why it&rsquo;s so difficult to park that beloved ride until spring.</p> <p>To ensure you get off to a smooth start when the weather allows, take these winterization and maintenance steps now, says Mike Arman, a mechanical expert who has written several books about motorcycles, including <em>Custom Chopper Cookbook for All Big Twins:</em></p> <ul style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li><strong>Drain the fuel.</strong> That means all of it. You should even empty the carburetor and fuel filter to keep them dry for storage. &ldquo;Modern gasoline contains ethanol,&rdquo; Arman says. &ldquo;This stores badly and leaves glue-like crud and deposits in fuel systems that will guarantee damage. Get it all out unless you want to rebuild the entire fuel system next spring.&rdquo; Also, change the oil and lubricate all parts that need lubrication. <br /> &nbsp;</li> <li style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><strong>Take care of fuel-injectors.</strong> On a fuel-injected bike, add fuel stabilizer to the gas, run the engine, let it cool and then drain everything. &ldquo;If the ethanol-laced gas clogs the fuel injectors or the pump, they&rsquo;ll have to be replaced,&rdquo; Arman says. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s why you do this.&rdquo; </li> <li><strong>Pay attention to spark plugs.</strong> Remove the spark plugs and squirt engine oil into the cylinders, to keep rings from rusting. Re-attach the spark plugs and hand tighten them. Then rotate the engine a turn or two by hand to distribute the oil. Don&rsquo;t use the starter. <br /> &nbsp;</li> <li><strong>Charge the battery.</strong> Give it a full charge, and then remove it from the motorcycle and connect it to a &ldquo;battery maintainer.&rdquo; Store the battery and its maintainer in the basement or another area where it won&rsquo;t freeze. <br /> &nbsp;</li> <li style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><strong>Store it on blocks.</strong> Tires that sit in one place for months will get flat spots that won&rsquo;t come out, so storing the bike on blocks is a better choice. &ldquo;Tie or brace the bike so it can&rsquo;t be tipped off the blocks,&rdquo; Arman says. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t stack anything on top of it either.&rdquo; </li> <li><strong>Check in on your two-wheeled &ldquo;friend.&rdquo;</strong> Once a month, rotate the wheels, work the brakes, turn the engine over by hand once or twice and open and close the gas cap and fuel petcocks. &ldquo;You need to move everything that&rsquo;s supposed to move,&rdquo; Arman says. &ldquo;Remember, inactivity is far worse for a bike than running it&mdash;just like a car. The worst thing you can do is just park it all winter long, then come back and expect to fire it right back up.&rdquo;</li> </ul>urn:uuid:3cadb9b6-03e6-43ef-99ae-6cb6c2de4ca9<img src='http://www.griffinowens.com/img/%7Ewww.griffinowens.com/flat%20tire.jpg' align='left' />Do you know what to do if your car breaks down? If your answer is no, this article is for you. After all, CarMD.com, a leading car-care site, reports that 13 percent of auto accidents are due to mechanical failures&mdash;and 80 percent of vehicles ar...Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:49:21 -0600<p><img width="190" height="190" alt="Road Side Assistance" style="float: left;" src="/img/%7Ewww.griffinowens.com/flat%20tire.jpg" />Do you know what to do if your car breaks down? If your answer is no, this article is for you. After all, <a href="http://carmd.com/" target="_blank">CarMD.com</a>, a leading car-care site, reports that 13 percent of auto accidents are due to mechanical failures&mdash;and 80 percent of vehicles are in need of parts, service or fluids. Plus, a 2010 CarMD survey conducted by Harris Interactive found that 64 percent of U.S. adults who have leased or owned vehicles admit to putting off maintenance or repairs at least once. A reluctance&mdash;or inability&mdash;to spend the money is the prime reason they offer.</p> <p><strong>Create a Kit</strong><br /> In case your car leaves you on the shoulder, you&rsquo;ll want to have an emergency kit ready to go. Art Jacobsen, vice president of CarMD, recommends including these essentials:</p> <ul style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li>Extra water (for drinking or cooling down an overheating car)</li> <li>Antifreeze</li> <li>Full-sized spare tire, jack and lug wrench&mdash;that fit your car and are in working order</li> <li>Flashlight</li> <li>Mobile phone programmed with insurance and roadside assistance company numbers</li> <li>Pen and paper to jot down information if you lose access to your phone</li> <li>Flares</li> </ul> <p><strong>Know What to Do </strong><br /> Jacobsen suggests these remedies for three common roadside emergencies:</p> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal;" start="1"> <li><strong>Overheating:</strong> If your temperature gauge spikes, especially driving up a steep grade, blast the heater on high. While the hot air may be unpleasant for you, it removes the heat from your engine and could prevent overheating. If this doesn&rsquo;t work, pull off on a safe, flat spot on the road. Wait for your vehicle to cool down and then check your antifreeze. At high temperatures, you should have some coolant in the overflow bottle. Add more if it&rsquo;s low. If you don&rsquo;t have extra antifreeze with you, a half-cup of water can help. <br /> &nbsp;</li> <li><strong>Flat tire:</strong> Slow down gradually and pull off as far as you can from the main highway. Put your vehicle in park. Turn on your emergency flashers, put out flares (if it&rsquo;s dark) and raise the hood so motorists know you have a problem. Proceed with tire change.<br /> &nbsp;</li> <li><strong>Stalling on the road:</strong> This is a situation that no driver wants to encounter. Still, it happens. If you can coast, get to the right lane and pull off if at all possible. If you&rsquo;re stuck in traffic, raise the hood and turn on the emergency flashers. If someone offers to help push the vehicle to the side of the road, put it in neutral and remember that a dead engine means no power steering and no power brakes&mdash;you&rsquo;ll have to use muscle power. Use your cell or smartphone to call a tow truck. And don&rsquo;t exit your vehicle until help arrives, unless you feel in danger from high-speed traffic behind you.</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p>urn:uuid:cdc6df82-8968-465a-906c-dca53f90291e<img src='http://www.griffinowens.com/img/%7Ewww.griffinowens.com/Free%20idiot%20test.jpg' align='left' /> It is amazing to me that people are so naive that they think they can &ldquo;Pick their own price&rdquo; for car or home insurance and get more coverage for less money!&nbsp; Today, I saw one of the declarations pages from a &ldquo;Pick your own pri...Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:49:43 -0500<p><img alt="" width="142" height="123" src="/img/%7Ewww.griffinowens.com/Free%20idiot%20test.jpg" /> It is amazing to me that people are so naive that they think they can &ldquo;Pick their own price&rdquo; for car or home insurance and get more coverage for less money!&nbsp; Today, I saw one of the declarations pages from a &ldquo;Pick your own price&rdquo; homeowners insurance policies and I was shocked at the coverage differences.&nbsp; This client left us because he saved a few hundred dollars on his new policy with &ldquo;Pick a Price Insurance co.&rdquo;&nbsp; What he did not realize was that his deductible for most losses went from $1000, to $2500.&nbsp; His wind and hail and hurricane deductibles went from $1000 to over $10,000!!&nbsp; His personal property coverage was reduced by 30% and his Loss of use coverage was reduced by 80%!!</p> <p>Now, I am all for saving money and no one wants to over pay for insurance, but this customer did not get a good value for his money.&nbsp; Trust me, following the next hail storm he will not be satisfied with a $10,000 deductible.&nbsp; Also, if he and his family are forced out of their home for a year while it is being rebuild following a fire, he is not going to be happy living at the local extended stay motel.&nbsp; Because that is all his policy will be able to afford for Loss of Use.</p> <p>Don&rsquo;t waste 15 minutes Picking a Payment to save a few hundred dollars if your policy isn&rsquo;t worth the paper it&rsquo;s written on.&nbsp; There is a difference between a cheap policy and a policy that is a good value.&nbsp; One cost less and the other pays more.&nbsp; You decide which you prefer after your next loss.</p> <div class="fb-like-box" data-href="http://www.facebook.com/platform" data-width="292" data-show-faces="true" data-stream="true" data-header="true"></div>