Dreams Quote:

Its not reckless to follow your dreams, in this day and age, its necessary.

Auto Insurance is So Complicated!

I found this article today and thought it really does a good job explaining the different types of auto coverage as well as what coverages to choose for your specific needs.

Types of Auto Coverage

Everyone who drives needs car insurance. In fact, most states require it by law. When you buy car insurance, you are buying what is called a policy. Your policy is based on a variety of factors including what kind of car you drive as well as what kind of insurance you want. Auto insurance policies are actually a package of different types of insurance coverage.
The first step in understanding an auto insurance policy is to learn the various types of coverage insurance companies offer. Some of this coverage may be required by your state and some of the coverage may be optional.

• Liability - This coverage pays for accidental bodily injury and property damages to others. Injury damages include medical expenses, pain and suffering and lost wages. Property damage includes damaged property and automobiles. This coverage also pays defense and court costs. State laws determine how much liability coverage you must purchase, but you can always get more coverage than your state requires.
• Collision - This coverage pays for damages to your vehicle caused by collision with another vehicle or object.
• Comprehensive - This coverage pays for loss or damage to the insured vehicle that doesn't occur in an auto accident. The types of damages comprehensive insurance covers include loss caused by fire, wind, hail, flood, vandalism or theft.
• Medical Coverage - Pays medical expenses regardless of fault when the expenses are caused by an auto accident.
• PIP - Personal Injury Protection (PIP) is required in some states. This coverage pays medical expenses for the insured driver, regardless of fault, for treatment due to an auto accident.
• Uninsured Motorist - Pays your car's damages when an auto accident is caused by a driver who doesn't have liability insurance.
• Underinsured Motorist - Pays your car's damages when an auto accident is caused by someone who has insufficient liability insurance.
• Rental Reimbursement - This type of coverage will pay for a rental car if your car is damaged due to an auto accident. Often this coverage has a daily allowance for a rental car.

Many insurance policies combine a number of these types of coverage. The first step in choosing the insurance you want for your car is to know the laws in your state. This will tell you the minimum insurance you need for your car. It's good to keep in mind that, just because your state may not require extensive insurance, extra coverage may be worth the expense. After all, no one wants to be stuck with thousands of dollars worth of bills because of an auto accident.
Now, let's take a look at how to determine your insurance needs.

Understanding Your Auto Insurance Needs

Just because your state requires a minimum amount of insurance doesn't mean that's exactly what you should purchase. In fact, most motorists purchase more coverage than their state requires so that they are covered for a variety of problems -- not simply a fender bender. In order to better determine your auto insurance needs, consider these five guidelines:

Know Your State Laws

Remember that forty-seven states require that you purchase liability insurance. Liability insurance is what pays for bodily injury and property damage that you cause another driver. Fifteen states including Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey also require that you buy Personal Injury Protection (PIP). This coverage pays for your medical expenses and lost wages in the event of an auto accident. Your insurance minimum will most likely be determined by state law, but many people are encouraged to purchase more than is required.

Know Your Options

There are a lot of car insurance options; but knowing what you most likely will need is the key to making sure you are appropriately covered. Do you want coverage for a rental car if your car is damaged? Do you want an extended warranty to pay for parts and labor if your car breaks down? If your car is leased, you will probably need gap insurance which pays for the difference between what your insurer pays and what you owe on your lease if the car is completely totaled.

Know How Much Money You Want to Spend

If you know your state laws and have examined your personal needs, now you can put together the different pieces of auto insurance coverage in one total policy. The first piece of the policy is almost always liability insurance. If you only have minimum liability coverage and you injure someone, their attorney can go after your personal assets. So, you need to know your assets and what you can afford to lose in the event of an accident. Many insurers feel that minimum liability is a gamble. In fact, that is why it is often only a little more money for more protection. After all, if you do get into an accident, it is much better for the insurance company to be responsible than for you to be personally responsible. Remember to run through various scenarios such as if I totaled someone else's car, will my insurance cover it? How much will I have to pay out of my own pocket? The answers to these types of questions will determine what coverage makes you feel most confident should an accident happen.

Know Your Vehicle

If your car was totaled, would you be able to afford to replace it? If not, you will want comprehensive and collision coverage. The decision to buy this coverage is usually based on the value of your car. Guidelines usually suggest that if your car is worth less than $2,000, it won't be worth it to buy comprehensive and collision. If you own a $50,000 car though, it would most certainly be worth it to pay an extra $200 annually or so to insure that your car will be replaced if you get in a serious accident.

Know About Your Other Insurance

Many people don't realize that other types of insurance including health insurance and homeowners insurance may pay for damages due to an auto accident. For instance, if you have comprehensive health coverage, you probably won't need more than the minimum required Personal Injury Protection (PIP). Make sure you know what insurance coverage you already have so that you don't purchase unnecessary coverage.
The best way to figure out your own auto insurance needs is to examine potential policies and know how much you are willing to gamble. For instance, it may not be worth it to you to purchase collision insurance if your car is not incredibly valuable and would therefore cost less to fix than to keep insured. Auto insurance is simply about how much you are willing to pay out of your own pocket versus how much you want the insurance company to cover. Once you decide this, you're all set to purchase your auto insurance policy.

Don’t miss out on our December marketing meeting!

Welcome to IMAGE
Innovative Marketing Group

December Agenda

Welcome from American Family!


Intentions of Innovative Marketing Group:

• Purpose is to meet other professionals and create encouragement for cross referrals as well as recognize professionals who share common values in customer service.
• Business: One professional will be asked to present each month for 10-15 minutes about their business.
• Networking: Round table, everyone will share a short summary of:
      Where you're from
      Where you work and how long
      What type of referrals you prefer
• Enjoy the refreshments, trade cards, and get to know each other!

Join us this December as we celebrate the holidays with health awareness! Tony Burris from Eagle Acupuncture will be speaking this month about the value that acupuncture, herbs, and diet have in our daily lives and ultimately our long term health. So as we head into Christmas this year, we are happy to have a few extra tips to keep the colds down and the energy up! Our agency is looking forward to having you as our guest and we would love to hear more about your business. Don't miss out on the coffee and our free IMAGE membership!


Follow me on my blog at jillsamfam.blogspot.com
Find our agency on Facebook at facebook.com/dwayneellisagency


If your business is interested in a speaking opportunity at IMAGE, please contact Jill for more information. 424-0864 ext 104

 

Hope you are enjoying this holiday season today!

Informative post. Let's not forget our foster children along with the adopted.

Foster Care

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Over 500,000 children in the U.S. currently reside in some form of foster care. Placements in foster care have dramatically increased over the past 10 years. Despite the increasing numbers, children in foster care and foster parents are mostly invisible in communities and often lack many needed supports and resources. In situations of abuse and neglect, children may be removed from their parents home by a child welfare agency and placed in foster care. Other reasons for foster placement include severe behavioral problems in the child and/or a variety of parental problems, such as abandonment, illness (physical or emotional), incarceration, AIDS, alcohol/substance abuse, and death.
African-American children make up approximately two thirds of the foster care population and remain in care longer. Two out of three children who enter foster care are reunited with their birth parents within two years. A significant number, however, can spend long periods of time in care awaiting adoption or other permanent arrangement. Making decisions about the future for a child in foster care is called permanency planning. Options include: returning the child to his/her birth parents; termination of parental rights (a formal legal procedure) to be followed, hopefully, by adoption; or long-term care with foster parents or relatives. Most states encourage efforts to provide the birth parents with support and needed services (e.g. mental health or drug/alcohol treatment, parent skills, training and assistance with child care and/or adequate housing) so their child can be returned to them. When parental rights have been terminated by the court, most states will try to place children with relatives (kinship foster carerelative placement which may lead to adoption by the relative.
Being removed from their home and placed in foster care is a difficult and stressful experience for any child. Many of these children have suffered some form of serious abuse or neglect. About 30% of children in foster care have severe emotional, behavioral, or developmental problems. Physical health problems are also common. Most children, however, show remarkable resiliency and determination to go on with their lives. Children in foster care often struggle with the following issues:

• blaming themselves and feeling guilty about removal from their birth parents
• wishing to return to birth parents even if they were abused by them
• feeling unwanted if awaiting adoption for a long time
• feeling helpless about multiple changes in foster parents over time
• having mixed emotions about attaching to foster parents
• feeling insecure and uncertain about their future
• reluctantly acknowledging positive feelings for foster parents

Foster parents open their homes and hearts to children in need of temporary care, a task both rewarding and difficult. Unfortunately, there has been a decrease in the number of foster parents (non-relative) available to care for children over the past 10 years. This results in larger numbers of children remaining in institutional settings. The number of relative caregivers (kinship foster care), however, has increased.
Reimbursement rates for foster parents are lower in most states than the true costs of providing routine care for the child. Important challenges for foster parents include:

• recognizing the limits of their emotional attachment to the child
• understanding mixed feelings toward the childs birth parents
• recognizing their difficulties in letting the child return to birth parents
• dealing with the complex needs (emotional, physical, etc.) of children in their care
• working with sponsoring social agencies
• finding needed support services in the community
• dealing with the child's emotions and behavior following visits with birth parents

Children in foster care who have emotional or behavioral problems may be referred for a psychiatric evaluation. Some child and adolescent psychiatrists provide consultation to Juvenile/Family Courts and child welfare agencies. Child and adolescent psychiatrists also provide comprehensive evaluations including diagnosis and the development of treatment plans. They also provide direct treatment (e.g. psychotherapy, family therapy, psychiatric medication) to a child. Children in foster care have special and complex needs which are best addressed by a coordinated team which usually includes the birth parents, foster parents, mental health professionals (including child and adolescent psychiatrists) and child welfare staff.
For additional information about foster care contact the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) 440 First Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001-2085.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) represents over 6,500 child and adolescent psychiatrists who are physicians with at least five years of additional training beyond medical school in general (adult) and child and adolescent psychiatry.

---

Facts for Families is developed and distributed by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). Facts sheets may be reproduced for personal or educational use without written permission, but cannot be included in material presented for sale.

Cause of the Month

Please follow our Cause of the Month as we celebrate Adoption Awareness Month! This month we are sponsoring A New Beginning Adoption Agency. For every like we get, we will be donating $1. Check out their site here: http://adoptanewbeginning.org/.

Dreams Quote:

What you need arrives EXACTLY when you need it when you walk the on path of your Dreams. Don't fret, keep walkin'...

But what about life insurance?

Interesting article I found. It seemed helpful and informative, so if you have been wondering about life insurance: enjoy.

US News and World Report

For most people, talking about life insurance sounds almost as fun as eating rotten fish. And while ignoring it can compound a family tragedy by turning it into a financial nightmare, more and more people are doing just that. A recent survey by the nonprofit Life Foundation indicated that one-fourth of Americans would consider canceling their life insurance policies in order to save money during the recession.

Before making that kind of drastic decision, consider these seven common insurance mistakes -- and you might decide to buy more coverage, not less.

1. Thinking you have enough. In a recent survey of middle-income Americans, Allstate found that while respondents generally agreed that everyone should have some level of life insurance, most believed that it should primarily cover bills and funeral expenses. Only 20% said life insurance should replace the income of the person who died, in order to continue to support any children and other dependent family members. The idea of having a policy that paid out seven to 10 times one's salary -- an amount that could easily make sense for someone with young children -- sounded like an attempt to sell a needlessly large policy to the respondents.

• MSN Money insurance planner

In fact, a third of adults have no life insurance at all, says Steven Weisbart, the chief economist for the Insurance Information Institute. Of the remaining people, many of them have only the insurance that comes from their workplace policies, which is usually not enough for people who want to support dependents after their death.

2. Not talking about it at all. "It's a topic that nobody really wants to think about," says Matt Easley, a vice president for Allstate Financial, partly because thinking about death is so uncomfortable.

Though life insurance isn't required the way auto insurance is, Weisbart says it is "morally required," because "if you have dependents, you owe it to them to protect them from the loss of your capacity to earn an income." (See "What if you got hit by a bus?")

3. Relying on old rules of thumb. Traditionally, people relied on a standard "seven times income" rule to calculate how much insurance they needed. But that's not a useful measure, Easley says, because people's situations are so different. A single person with no dependents will probably need much less insurance than someone with five young children, for example. Instead, Easley recommends sitting down and thinking about "the things you want to protect." How much would it cost to support your children in the way you want? To pay for their college or pay off the mortgage?

Video on MSN Money

When COBRA bites
Millions of unemployed Americans can't afford health insurance for their families. Meet one of them and the solution she found.

Calculate economic loss

Michael Bonevento, a senior financial adviser at Ameriprise Financial, also recommends making a "human life value" calculation, which looks at the economic loss that would come from a breadwinner passing away. For example, if he earns $100,000 per year and has 20 years left until retirement, then the value is $2 million. (Taxes then get subtracted out along with the amount the breadwinner consumes himself, and other benefits such as health insurance are added. Finally, the present value of that number is calculated.)

• Calculator: How much life insurance do you need?

The human life value is usually a higher number than what people come up with after considering what they'd like to be able to pay for if they were to die. Bonevento recommends purchasing insurance for somewhere between those two amounts.

Continued: Ignoring your non-monetary income

4. Ignoring your non-monetary income. Many people, when adding up how much of their income they would need to replace, forget about the benefits that come with their jobs, such as health insurance and retirement account payments. "I have a job, and my employer pays my health insurance costs, but if I died, and that subsidy disappears, my wife would have to get health insurance without it, so it would cost more," Weisbart says. Life insurance, then, should pay enough money to cover the new health insurance bill.

5. Forgetting the long term. People often lose track of how long the life insurance payout should support their children and other dependents after they die, Easley says. "If you have a child who's 10, in 15 years, they'll be out on their own," he explains, so in that case, term coverage that will provide support for those 15 years likely makes the most sense.

6. Thinking that it's too expensive. Many people mistakenly think life insurance is prohibitively expensive, Bonevento says, but it's possible to find a policy that fits both your needs and your budget. Term insurance, which provides temporary insurance over a specific time period, is more affordable than permanent insurance, which lasts a lifetime. In addition to managing financial risk, people sometimes use permanent insurance as an investment tool, as well.

But those on a tight budget tend to choose term insurance. One of Bonevento's clients, a married man with one child and another on the way, decided he needed to take out $1.5 million worth of term life insurance. His monthly payment, pending an assessment of his health, will cost between $102 and $219 per month.

7. Forgetting to update a policy. Though major life events, such as the birth of a child, marriage or divorce, usually mean it's time to update your insurance policy, many people forget to do so. Even Sept. 11, which affected many of Bonevento's clients, did not serve as the motivator he thought it would. Then, he says, "when tragedy strikes, they face financial problems on top of everything else."

This article was reported by Kimberly Palmer for U.S. News & World Report.

Updated July 21, 2009

IMAGE meeting

Join us this Monday, November 7th, for our IMAGE networking meeting! We are excited to introduce Brandy Harbison from thesocialtool.com as she informs us about the world of social media networking. So come grab some coffee at 9am, and tell us all about what you do! 7950 Horseshoe Bend Rd Boise, ID 83714

Dreams Quote:

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. Harriet Tubman

Dreams Quote:

Until you act on your dreams, they will remain a mystery. It's scary to act on your dreams, what's even scarier is NOT acting & dying inside.

Cause of the Month

The Dwayne Ellis Agency is promoting A New Beginning Adoption Agency as our Cause of the Month for November! Please "like" our facebook page and we will donate $1 for every "like" we recieve! www.facebook.com/DwayeEllisAgency

Dreams Quote:

"All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers." - Orison Swett Marden.

Uninsured Motorist?

Today I would like to share a few thoughts on uninsured motorists. Unfortunately, there are quite a few drivers out there who choose to operate their vehicle without the proper insurance. Who pays for that? You: the insured motorist and your own insurance coverages. Did you know that uninsured motorist coverage is not required in Idaho? Yep. That means if you get hit by someone who decided insurance was too expensive and you don't have uninsured motorist coverage, the damages with come out of your own pocket. Ouch.

Transporter:
Slow economy might prompt more drivers
to operate vehicles without insurance

Approximately one in six drivers across the United States may be driving uninsured by 2010, according to a recent study from Insurance Research Council (IRC). The report estimated that 9 percent of Idaho drivers will be operating without insurance, ranking the state in a tie for 36th, nationally.

Although the estimated percentage of uninsured motorists decreased nationally, from 14.9 percent in 2003 to 13.8 percent in 2007, the recent economic downturn is expected to trigger a sharp rise in the uninsured motorist rate. 

The recently released study, Uninsured Motorists, 2008 Edition, estimates the percentage of uninsured drivers countrywide and by state for the period 2005 to 2007. The IRC estimates the uninsured driver population using a ratio of insurance claims made by individuals who were injured by uninsured drivers to claims made by individuals who were injured by insured drivers.

The study contains recent statistics by state on uninsured motorists claim frequency, bodily injury liability claim frequency, and the ratio of uninsured motorists to bodily injury claim frequencies. 

The magnitude of the uninsured motorists problem varied widely from state to state. In 2007, the five states with the highest uninsured driver estimates were New Mexico (29 percent), Mississippi (28 percent), Alabama (26 percent), Oklahoma (24 percent), and Florida (23 percent). The five states with the lowest uninsured driver estimates were Massachusetts (1 percent), Maine (4 percent), North Dakota (5 percent), New York (5 percent), and Vermont (6 percent). 

The report also found a strong correlation between the percent of uninsured motorists and the unemployment rate: An increase in the unemployment rate of one percentage point is associated with an increase in the uninsured motorist rate of more than three-quarters of a percentage point. Based on current unemployment rate projections, the percentage of uninsured motorists is expected to rise from 13.8 in 2007 to 16.1 in 2010.

“An increase in the number of uninsured motorists is an unfortunate consequence of the economic downturn and illustrates how virtually everyone is affected by recent economic developments," said Elizabeth A. Sprinkel, senior vice president of the IRC. “Responsible drivers who purchase insurance end up paying for injuries caused by uninsured drivers.”

Dream Quote:

Everything man made you see in the world was once just a dream. Every where you look is proof that dreams come true.

Teen Safety: what you need to know

Today I want to talk about teen safety on the road. Unfortunately, teens are much more likely to get into an auto accident than an adult driver. Here is what I found as I researched the situation:

National Teen Driving Statistics

• Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15- to 20-year-olds.
• 16-year-olds have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age.
• 16-year-olds are 3 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash than the average of all drivers.
• 2,739 drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 died in motor vehicle crashes in 2008, down 13.7% from 3,174 in 2007 and down 20.2% from 3,431 in 1998.
• About 2 out of every 3 teenagers killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2008 were males (IIHS).
• Drivers ages 15-20 accounted for 12% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2008 and 14% of all drivers involved in police-reported crashes.
• 63% of teenage passenger deaths in 2008 occurred in vehicles driven by another teenager. Among deaths of passengers of all ages, 19% occurred when a teenager was driving (IIHS).
• 81% of teenage motor vehicle crash deaths in 2008 were passenger vehicle occupants.
• The number of drivers ages 15-20 involved in fatal crashes totaled 5,864 in 2008, down 16% from 6,982 in 2007 and down 26% from 7,987 in 1998.
• In 2006 (latest data available) crashes involving 15- to 17-year-olds cost more than $34 billion nationwide in medical treatment, property damage and other costs, according to an AAA analysis.
• In states with GDL programs that include at least five of the most important elements, there was a 20% reduction in fatal crashes involving 16-year-old drivers.
• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, in 2008:
  
  • Hand-held cellphone use was highest among 16- to 24-year-olds (8% in 2008, down from 9% in 2007).
  • 37% of male drivers ages 15-20 who were involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time.
  • 55%, or 2,014, of the 3,678 occupants of passenger vehicles ages 16-20 who were killed in crashes were not buckled up.
  • 31% of drivers ages 15-20 who were killed in motor vehicle crashes had been drinking some amount of alcohol; 25% were alcohol-impaired, meaning they had a blood alcohol content of 0.08 grams per deciliter or higher.
• Statistics show that 16- and 17-year-old driver death rates increase with each additional passenger (IIHS).

Here is American Family's answer:

Teen Safe Driver Program

Teens are more than 9 times as likely to get in a car crash than an adult.

Handing over the keys to your teenage driver is one of the most difficult things you'll ever do as a parent. And while teens may drive safely when their parents are in the car, crash rates increase dramatically when parents are not present.
The Teen Safe Driver SM Program uses innovative technology and parent feedback to help teens become safer drivers. As a result, the program can help dramatically reduce risky teen driving behavior. And the best part is it’s absolutely free for automobile insurance customers of American Family Insurance!

On average the Teen Safe Driver SM Program reduces risky driver behavior by 70% according to an independent review by the University of Iowa.

Here’s how it works:

• A small audio/video recording device installed behind the rearview mirror of the car driven by your teen.
• When triggered by erratic vehicle movements, such as extreme braking, acceleration, cornering or a collision, the device provides a video clip of what occurred the 10 seconds before and after the event.
• The recorded event is sent wirelessly to analysts, where it is reviewed and scored and coaching tips are offered.
• Each week parents and teens are encouraged to review and discuss the results, which they access through a secure Website.

This man had an outstanding dream. What's yours?

Dreams Quote:

"Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us."

- Wilma Rudolph, was the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field during a single Olympic Games, despite running on a sprained ankle at the time.

Topic: Why Renter's Insurance?

So today I chose a topic that seems to be confusing to many people: Renter's Insurance. If you are one of the hundreds of people that doesn't quite know what renter's insurance is good for, don't be embarassed. It is easy to figure that you pay ENOUGH in rent, and surely the landlord already pays for insurance, so why should you have to pay TOO??

Well the answer is many tenants have no idea the risk that they are liable for, even when their landlord has perfectly good coverage. Under the owner's policy, NONE of your belongings are covered. Also, say that pesky old swing in your backyard ends up breaking while your neighbor's child is swinging on it and they decide to take you to court for a broken ankle. Wouldn't it be great to have some coverage for those incidents that we can't control?

So what does renter's insurance cover exactly? First of all, you will have to calculate how much you would estimate what it would take for your total belongings to be replaced. Typically this number is anywhere from $16,000 to $90,000. Then, on every renter's policy that we have, our clients have a $300,000 liability coverage that covers you in the event that someone gets injured on your property. You will also recieve medical coverage for every person in your household that gets ill or injured due to something that happens in your home.

 

Renters Insurance

You’ve built a home out of your apartment and filled it with all the things that make up your life. If these personal possessions were damaged, destroyed or stolen, would you be able to replace them?

How Much Renters Insurance Do You Need?

For a general guide of how much renters insurance coverage you may need, use this chart. Match the general quality of your possessions – economy, standard or luxury – with the number of rooms (not including bathrooms) in your home.

	2	3	4	5
Economy	$23,300	$26,200	$29,000	$31,800
Standard	$34,100	$38,200	$42,400	$46,400
Luxury	$39,600	$44,700	$49,200	$55,100

	6	7	8	9	10
Economy	$34,600	$37,500	$40,300	$43,100	$45,900
Standard	$50,600	$54,600	$58,700	$62,900	$67,100
Luxury	$63,100	$70,200	$76,300	$81,900	$87,200

Soo cute!

Hello Idaho Family!

I am very excited to get to know each of you as this blog gets rolling! Please make yourself at home and feel free to browse as I post tips about how to better protect yourself from winter risks, road risks, coverage myths, and many other uncommon insurance tips. Please contact me with questions if there is an insurance issue you would like me to discuss on this site. Enjoy!

Is Your Home Prepared for Winter?

If you live in a region where the temperatures drop below freezing, here are some tips to help protect your home during cold spells.

Keep Freezing Pipes from Bursting

Frozen water in pipes causes pressure to build and could result in the pipes bursting at their weakest point.
Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are particularly vulnerable to this concern, especially when they're subjected to extra cold air coming through utility line holes.
Follow these tips to help keep your pipes from freezing:

• Fit exposed pipes with insulation sleeves or wrapping. The more insulation the better.
• Use caulking to seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations near water pipes.
• Disconnect garden hoses and turn off the water supply to spigots.
• Keep cabinet doors open during cold spells to allow warm air to circulate around pipes, especially in the kitchen and bathroom.
• Allow a slow trickle of water to flow through faucets connected to pipes that run through an unheated or unprotected space. (If your house is going to be vacant during a cold spell, consider draining your water system.)

Protect Your Roof from Ice Dams

When your home's heat melts snow, water runs to the edge of your roof (where the temperature is cooler) and freezes. Over time, this ice can build up, preventing drainage and forcing water into your attic or walls.
How can you avoid ice dams, or at least reduce their impact?

• Keep your attic well ventilated. The cooler the attic, the less melting and refreezing on your roof.
• Keep your attic floor well insulated to minimize the amount of heat rising through the attic from within your house.
• If possible, eliminate recessed lighting near your roof. Heat generated from such lighting melts snow, which then contributes to ice dam buildup.