Author Archives: AgentInsure

It’s Boat Season: A Checklist to Make Sure Yours is Ready

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Spring has officially sprung, which means summer is right around the corner, so it’s time to think about getting your boat ready for the season. You don’t want to risk taking the boat out on the water and risk something happening you, your passengers or the boat, so the following checklist will help you ensure it is in tip-top condition before you head out to the water.

Electrical Connections
Carefully check all of the electrical connections to make sure they are clean and tight. Check for corrosion, which may be sign of an unsafe connection. Remove the terminals and clean the cable ends and connections with a wire brush. Charge the battery and make sure to test it to ensure it is holding a charge. It is highly recommended that you have the electrical systems inspected by a qualified technician.

Cables, Hoses & Belts
Check control cables for swelling or cracks on the outer layer and replace them if needed. Cables can be easily replaced by a boat repair center or you can order the cables to replace them yourself. Always check the hoses for any cracking that may have occurred during winter storage. The belts should fit tightly around the pulleys to prevent the risk of slipping. Belts that are worn typically have a black substance near the pulley and/or they may have a lose fit.

Fluid Levels
Check all of the fluid levels, including:

  • Coolant
  • Power steering fluid
  • Power trim reservoir
  • Engine oil-if the oil was not changed during winterizing, make sure to change the oil, replace the filter and change the drive lubricants.

Fuel
Inspect the fuel lines for damage. Typical signs of damaged hoses include cracking, or hoses that are hard or extra soft. Remember to check the connections and the tank surfaces. Make sure the clamps and fittings are secure.

Along with the above checklist, it is also important to make sure you check the safety gear to ensure all life jackets are in good condition and that you have various sizes to accommodate all passengers. The onboard fire extinguisher must be the correct class for your boat and fully charged. It is also important to ensure your trailer is in good condition, so inspect the wheels and check the trailer straps to make sure they are not worn.

One of the most important things for Wayzata, MN residents should have on their boat checklist is insurance. Make sure to contact Pizano Insurance to check on your current boat policy or to start a new boat policy.

Premium Gas Compared to Regular

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Regardless of whether you’re taking a short trip to Wayzata Bay or driving all the way to St. Cloud, your car needs the right kind of fuel. Premium gas frequently costs about $0.30-40 cents extra in Minnesota, but it offers major benefits for some autos.

Octane Level

Regular gasoline has a lower octane level than premium. This means that it has a greater potential to prematurely ignite and cause the engine to knock. Engine knocking produces a "ping" noise or rattle.

The majority of vehicles don’t need high-octane fuel to prevent knocking. If a car’s manual doesn’t recommend premium, this type of gas probably won’t enhance performance. It may slightly increase fuel economy, especially if you move heavy cargo.

Other Cars

Even when an auto manufacturer doesn’t urge drivers to use high-octane gasoline, it can still benefit cars with engines that knock. This problem is more likely to develop in heavy, older vehicles with powerful engines.

Premium gas may help prevent a breakdown in this situation. However, mid-grade fuel might work just as well. Your car probably needs professional service if it continues to knock after consuming two tanks of higher-octane gas.

Engine Cleaning

Although many drivers believe otherwise, high-octane gasoline won’t remove more deposits from a vehicle’s engine. The federal government requires every grade of fuel to include detergents that help clean the motor, so regular works equally well.

Serious Risks

A number of luxury and sports cars need premium gasoline. When drivers use the wrong type of fuel, it may void the warranty, harm performance and increase engine noise. Certain components can eventually become damaged.

You could offset the cost of gas by finding affordable yet comprehensive auto insurance. To review existing coverage or compare rates on a new policy, please contact Pizano Insurance today. Contact our independent local agency in Wayzata today!
 

Recyclable Items Found in Every House

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The average American generates nearly 5 pounds of waste every day.  When you multiply that by 300 million (the approximate population of the United States) you can see why we have a serious garbage problem.  Landfills are filling up rapidly, and no one really wants one practically in their backyard.  For that reason, Americans should look at various ways to cut down on the waste they produce.  One good way of doing this is to find those small ways to recycle; they might not seem like big steps, but they can make a huge difference in waste generation.  With that in mind, here are some common household items you should look at recycling instead of throwing away.

Junk Mail

Did you know that junk mail and cards can be recycled?  Instead of pitching those pre-approved credit card offers, letters about cremation services, and grocery store circulars in the trash can, toss them into the recycling bin.  Better yet, sign up for paperless statements for bank accounts, credit cards, and other accounts to further cut down on envelopes and papers you would need to throw away.

Books

Tired of those old romance novels that are sitting in your nightstand drawer?  Kids outgrow their old books?  Donate them to schools, libraries, or thrift stores.  Got Grandpa’s old collection of 1960s hardbound books?  Those might be worth something to book collectors on eBay, Etsy, or other sites.

Waste Paper

If you’ve gone through and shredded your old documents, you might be able to toss them in your recycling bin and leave it to be picked up curbside.  If you’ve used a cross-cut shredder (which makes shredded paper pieces too small to reuse), you might add those shredded paper pieces to your compost pile.  An added bonus is that compost piles also cut down on food waste.

Ink Cartridges

Do not simply toss out ink cartridges; they often contain toxic materials that can leach out in a landfill.  Instead, take them to your local office supply store.  Not only will they accept them for recycling, you’ll often get a small discount toward the purchase of new cartridges.

CD and DVD Cases

Consolidating your CD or DVD collection?  You’ll likely have a bunch of leftover plastic jewel cases.  The good news is that most disposal companies will accept them for curbside recycling.  If yours doesn’t, you can always take your empty cases –along with any electronic waste- to your local Best Buy.  They have bins near the entrance for recycling these items.

As you’re performing Spring cleaning and looking at recycling things you don’t need, the independent agents at Pizano Insurance want to remind you to make sure your homeowner’s policy is neat and tidy as well.  Contact one of our agents to go over your homeowner’s insurance and ensure it still meets your needs or speak to an agent about signing up for a new policy today!

What you can do to avoid fender bender fraud

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Fender bender fraud is one of the fastest growing types of insurance fraud in the United States. Unfortunately, most victims don’t even know that they’ve been scammed until it is too late. This type of fraud uses teams of professional drivers to deliberately cause accidents around the Wayzata, MN area, then bilk the driver’s insurance out of as much money as possible. Fortunately, there re some ways to protect yourself.

  1. Document everything if you’re in a crash. Often, these scam artists will embellish their injuries or the details of the accident in order to claim more money. If you take pictures and write down as much as possible, it’s possible to make a counter argument to their claims.
  2. Get a police report. Even if the other driver insists that they are willing to settle for less than your deductible, get an officer to document the crash. All too often, these scam artists will cause multiple crashes in the same day, netting thousands of dollars. The police, however, will be able to confirm everyone’s identity and look for other accidents that these scammers have been involved in.
  3. Report your suspicions to your insurance agent. If you notice anything strange or off during the aftermath of the accident, make sure that you report it to the police and your insurance agent. Often just flagging a relatively minor case as suspicious can help investigators put together a pattern of minor accidents.

Scam artists are everywhere, and it’s important to stay safe. Having good auto insurance is the best way to make sure you and your family are protected from fender bender fraud. Contact an agent at Pizano Insurance today to make sure you have the coverage you need.

Do I Really Need Home Insurance?

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When you own a home in Wayzata, there is the question of whether you need home insurance. It can seem like an expense you don’t want to incur. However, it is something to consider.

Home insurance is not required by the state of Minnesota. This being said, if you have a mortgage, your lender may require that you have the insurance as a way of protecting their investment. This means that you will need to contact your lender to find out what the requirements are.

Whether you have a mortgage or not, it’s a good idea to have home insurance so that you are protected against the various things that could potentially happen. This may include burglary, a fire, a flood, and much more.

A typical homeowner’s insurance policy is going to protect your dwelling as well as the various items inside, including furniture and other belongings. You can add onto the policy to protect various other aspects, including additional buildings on your property as well as expensive belongings, such as art, jewelry, and more.

Should something happen your home, a claim can be filed with the homeowner’s insurance company. As long as it is one of the covered aspects, they will provide the money to make repairs or replacements – and this ensures that you don’t need to come up with all of the money on your own.

Homeowners insurance can be affordable, and is certainly going to be worth every penny in the event that you need to file a claim due to a heavy storm, fire, or something else that could prevent you from living in your home.

Call and talk to one of our knowledgeable insurance agents at Pizano Insurance today. We can talk to you about the various options available for homeowners insurance and get quotes to help you with the overall comparison process.

 

 

Who Needs Commercial Insurance and Why?

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When it comes to owning a business things like insurance tend to be the last thing you consider. This, however, does not have to be the case if you talk with the talented agents at Pizano Insurance in Wayzata, MN. Agents can help place you with a policy that is going to work for you and that is going to keep your business covered from start to finish.

Put quite simply those that need commercial insurance are people that own businesses. Commercial insurance of all types was created to help protect the business interest of those that hold it. This means that in the event of an accident, your business cannot be taken from you because you have insurance policies in place to help cover these accidents and eventualities.

People that need commercial insurance are those individuals that have some sort of business in their possession that would need to be protected in the event of an accident. A good example of this is property insurance .This will help to protect and replace property in the event that it is damaged or destroyed.

Other types of commercial insurance help to cover things like theft, damage by fire and water, natural disasters, someone getting hurt on your property, someone getting injured by a car that belongs to your company and so on. If you believe that you need commercial insurance it is always helpful to speak with an agent that has experience with this type of policy. They can tell you just what coverage you need, what coverage is going to benefit you, and what level of coverage you need to legally stay in operation as well. Commercial insurance is a must and finding a great policy is the icing on the cake.  

Preventing Fender-Bender Fraud

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Believe it or not, there’s a lot you can do to prevent fender bender fraud. People get into these kinds of accidents all the time. It can be nerve wracking when it happens to you, though it’s important to be aware of all that’s going on. You can prevent any kind of fraudulent activity by being active throughout the few minutes that take place following the accident.

The other party who is involved in the accident may be trying to commit fraud. This means you have to be cautious about what takes place. You want to get a police officer on the scene as quickly as possible. If the person is trying to commit fraud, they probably don’t want this to happen. This is because there would be an impartial party providing record – and this would make it harder for them to commit fraud.

Essentially, this is exactly why you want the police officer on the scene. They will write up a report as to what they have seen.

You also want photos. Even though the case may seem cut and dry, if it ends up in a courtroom, you may want photos to show what kind of damage was seen on both cars. This will help the judge to determine just how hard the car was hit and what kinds of injuries could result from such a fender bender.

There are certain details you need to share. This includes your insurance information. The moment the other person drives away, you want to contact your insurance company and get your story in before they have an opportunity to reach out to your insurance company.

Contact us at Pizano Insurance today to learn more about auto insurance and what your options are. We can help you to find affordable premiums that will provide protection throughout Wayzata, MN and beyond.

 

3 Ways to Handle Emergencies Like a House Sitting Pro

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House sitting is your job. You take it seriously, so you should thoroughly consider the clear and present danger that could be lurking outside. To ensure that you maintain your brand, and to ensure you are safe at all times, the following three tips will help you while you are home sitting.

Safety Tip #1. Remove every spare key from the home.

Of course, having a spare key under the mat is a great way to save money with a locksmith. However, it’s not a great way to keep intruders out. With the cost of a home burglary averaging over $2,100, it cost less to replace a lost key than to experience a home invasion.

Safety Tip #2. Let the neighbors know you are house sitting.

Two minds are always better than one, even in house sitting. If your clients live in a reputable neighborhood, then you can solicit the help of their neighbors. You can introduce yourself, and let them know that you are house sitting. Additionally, let them know that you would appreciate a watchful eye from them since you are new to the neighborhood. Most neighbors will help you keep a watchful eye for any strange behaviors.

Safety Tip #3. Always use the alarm systems.

Alarms systems work. These systems alert you when there is an intrusion, and they alert your neighbors. Additionally, these systems work to deter intruders. However, you can’t use it unless it’s engaged. No matter what you are doing, you should ensure that the home’s security system is armed so that you are protected.

At Pizano Insurance, our goal is to protect our clients. Whether you have a car or homeowners insurance with us, we have a complement insurance product to ensure that your family is protected while you are on the road or at home. You can visit our website to see all the insurance products we offer.

 

 

Meet Your MN Neighbors Through Volunteering Efforts

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When you move to a new place, one of the things you probably want to do is meet people and make friends. That can help you get involved with the local community, and give you the opportunity to get to know more of the people around you. Making friends also helps keep you from feeling isolated, and can give you a feeling of being at home that you might not have otherwise. Among some great ways to meet your neighbors is through volunteering for causes that are important to you.

When you volunteer you benefit yourself and other people. Any organization that gets your help will certainly be appreciative, as will the people who that organization helps. Additionally, you’ll have a good feeling from helping others, and you’ll also get a sense of purpose that can be hard to come by in a world that’s full of hustle and bustle all the time. Rather than just go out to bars or restaurants to meet others, focusing on something that’s truly important to you lets you give back to your local community and also help you meet people who will be similar to you in the kinds of things they find important. That can make for much better, more lasting friendships in your area.

Supporting local businesses is also an important way to be a part of any community. By using Pizano Insurance for your insurance needs in Albertville, MN, you can get the coverage you need and the personalized service you won’t find with non-local companies that don’t understand your community. That keeps your money in the local area and helps a community business succeed, so it’s a winning situation for everyone.

 

First Time Homeowners: How To Keep Your Cooling Costs Down In The Summer

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If you are a first-time homeowner, there are several things that you need to keep in mind. One crucial consideration is your cooling costs during the summer months. Cooling costs can be very expensive, and so purchasing your first home. If you know a few tips for keeping your cooling costs down in the summer, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars each year.

Replace Old Air Conditioners

If the central air conditioning unit in your new home is worn, you may want to consider replacing it.

Older units are much less energy efficient than newer models. While replacing an old unit can be expensive, it can pay for itself in the money that you would save on cooling costs over the first few years. If you are using older window units, replacing them can save you a great deal of money as well.

Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Most people who are considering switching from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs do so to save money on their lighting costs. What you may not know, is that switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs can also save on your cooling costs. Unlike incandescent light bulbs, compact fluorescent light bulbs don’t give off any heat.

Clean or Change AC Filters Each Month

It is important that you clean or change your AC filters every month. Dirty filters can cause your cooling costs to rise 7 percent or more when it is hot outside. If you have a central air conditioning unit, you would need to change the central AC furnace filters each month during the summer. If you have window units, there is a removable filter that should be rinsed out each month.

Seal Up AC Ducts

If you purchased a home that was built in the last ten years, the duct work is likely well sealed. If your home is older, however, 40 percent of the money that you spend on cooling costs could be leaking through the gaps in the duct joints. Rather than coming out the vents to cool down the house, the leaked air would be trapped in the attic, basement, or in a crawl space. When you move into your home, you should have a professional come to inspect the unit and the duct work.

Plant Greenery Around the Windows

If you are planning to have your yard landscaped after you move into your home, you should consider planting shrubs or trees close to the windows on the sunny side of the home. These plants will keep the sun from heating up the house, reducing your cooling costs.

There are several things that you should do after you have purchased your first home. After you have contacted Pizano Insurance for a homeowner’s insurance policy, you should make sure that the home is ready for the cooling season.