How to Ready Your Home for the Next Winter Blast

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Winter has officially arrived. Is your home ready?  Buena Vista, VA can experience winter storms that can be dangerous to you and your family if you are not well prepared.  At Stonewall Grace Insurance, we want all of our clients to be safe and warm this winter.  Use these tips to help ready your home for the next big winter blast.

Preparing the Exterior of Your Home for Winter

Since we often get snow in the winter in Buena Vista, VA, it is a good idea to hire a contractor to check your roof structure.  Make sure that it has the ability to sustain a heavy amount of snow or ice.  It is also important to repair any roof leaks and clear gutters of debris.  Make sure tree branches are trimmed so that they do not fall on your roof or any other nearby structures during a strong storm.  Also, have the chimney inspected, cleaned and cleared of debris or bird’s nests before using it.

Tips to Prepare the Inside of Your Home for Winter

Winterize your windows and exterior doors by replacing caulking and weather-stripping to prevent cold air from seeping inside your home. Check the insulation in the attic and replace or add to it if need be. Install carbon-monoxide detectors that are either battery operated or have a battery backup to detect any accumulation of this potentially deadly gas. Also, check your smoke alarms and replace batteries if need be. And make sure that everyone in the family knows how to use the fire extinguishers. Finally, if you know that a freeze is coming, wrap your water pipes and allow the faucets to drip. At Stonewall Grace Insurance, we hope everyone has a safe and warm winter.  

Five Ways to Ready Your Yard for Fall

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Fall has officially arrived and it is time to make sure your home is ready inside and out.  Keeping your yard well-maintained during fall not only makes your home look good, it protects your investment against potential risks caused by weather and seasonal changes.  At Stonewall Grace Insurance of Buena Vista, VA, we recommend these five tips to ready your yard for fall.

#1: Make Sure Trees are Trimmed – Any limbs that are dead or broken need to be removed.  If there are branches that have grown close to power lines, contact your local utility company to remove.   

#2: Fertilize and Clear the Yard – Fertilizing your lawn and regularly picking up leaves and debris helps the grass survive through the colder months. 

#3: Regularly Clear Roof and Gutters of Debris – Leaves and debris can accumulate in the gutters and on the roof resulting in clogged gutters and potential drainage issues.

#4: Ensure Flowerbeds are Properly Graded – Flowerbeds should always be graded away from the house so that rainwater does not collect at the foundation. 

#5: Mulch Flower Beds – Spread a two to three-inch layer of mulch in flower beds to help protect your plants’ root structure as the weather grows colder.

With preparation, your yard and home will be ready for any seasonal changes that arise.  Not only is it important to prepare for the change in seasons, it is important that you have the right insurance coverage.  At Stonewall Grace Insurance of Buena Vista, VA, our agents will work with you to find the right homeowner’s insurance policy to fit your needs and budget.  Contact us to see what options you have available to make sure your home and family is safe and secure.

Why You May Want to Review Your Homes Insurance Policy in Buena Vista

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Accidents in Virginia do happen, and it only takes a little bit of damage to make a homeowner miserable. Furthermore, you may be unaware of just how little your current home insurance policy covers. Stone Grace Insurance can tell you more about why you might want to reconsider your home insurance, so you can live a safer life in Buena Vista, VA. 

Separate Issues 

Too often, news comes too homeowners too late after a disaster hits. Not every event is covered, even though many people will still look to their insurance company if there’s a theft, a flood or an act of vandalism. These things are treated as separate entities, so you may want to look over your policy just to make sure that you’ve thought through the consequences — especially if you’ve chosen to forego protection against specific circumstances. A policy that’s worth having will account for not just the most likely scenarios to happen to you, but also ones that you may not even have thought of yet. 

A Fighting Chance

Stonewall Grace Insurance is here to make sure you have a policy that will actually function when something goes wrong. The shock of finding out you are unable to get the help you need is something we’ve seen happen too often. Instead of being a victim, talk to an agent who can answer your questions about what will happen if there is a natural disaster in your area. Your possessions are absolutely worth saving, and we can help you do it. Having a realistic view of the situation gives you a chance to make a game plan about what you’ll do to protect the people and property within your home. Giving us a call today puts you in the driver’s seat, so chat with us more about how Stonewall Grace Insurance serves Buena Vista, VA with pride. 

 

Keep Your Business Safe with Commercial Insurance

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You work hard to make your business successful. Every day you make sure your bills are paid to keep the lights and water running. You ensure your mortgage or rent is paid, so you have a place to do business. And, you keep your employees happy, so you have staff to keep things running smoothly. But, you also have to keep your business safe from things that are beyond your control. That’s why you need commercial insurance.

Protect Your Business From Liability

Liability insurance is one of the most important types of commercial insurance a business could have. This type of insurance protects your business from claims of bodily injury and property damage. If someone gets hurt or property gets damaged at your business or while you’re conducting business operations, your business could be put in jeopardy. Liability insurance covers this type of situation.

Protect Your Property

Property insurance is another type of commercial insurance that is important to business owners. If you own your building, property insurance can protect your business from losses if it becomes damaged. Not only could property insurance help with repair costs, it could also cover losses if your business has to shut down for repairs.

Invest in Your Business

Commercial insurance is among the most important investments you can make in your business. You don’t want to be left unprepared when unforeseen situations occur. By protecting your business from liability and property damage, you’re making sure you and your employees have a business to come back to every day.

Stonewall Grace Insurance is here for your commercial insurance needs. If you own a business in Buena Vista, VA and you’re in search of commercial insurance, don’t hesitate to call or stop by our office.

Buena Vista, VA: How Much Life Insurance Does One Person Really Need?

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The amount of life insurance you need will depend on several different factors. In most cases, the amount of life insurance you need should be able to pay your bills for at least a year or more. If you have a large family, you will need to purchase a policy that will provide enough money to pay the family’s bills. 

If you who have a mortgage, car payment and other types of loans, you may need to increase the amount of your life insurance policy to make sure you have enough to pay them off if you pass away before the loans are taken care off. Some loans will have a survivor clause built in that guarantees that the loan will be paid off if something happens to one of the borrowers. It is important to know whether or not your loans have these types of benefits so you can prepare accordingly.

If you are alone and have no dependents, the amount of life insurance you choose to buy should be sufficient to pay off any debts that you may have as well as cover your final expenses. Whatever is left over will be distributed throughout your estate according to your specifications. You can choose whatever amount you want if you plan on passing the additional benefits on to your heirs.

The agents of Stonewall Grace Insurance serve the residents of Buena Vista, Virginia. The agents are extremely knowledgeable about life insurance and how much a person needs depending on the size of their family and their financial obligations. If your circumstances have changed, you may need to have your need for life insurance re-evaluated so that you are sufficiently prepared.

Renter’s Insurance and You

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Did you know that there is an affordable way to make sure that your belongings are covered and that you are protected from unexpected damages and/or injuries?  There is.  It is a little thing called renter’s insurance and it is incredibly affordable.

So what does it cover?  Well, different carriers will offer different types of coverage, but in general it would cover things like your belongings, your apartment and guests in case of mishaps or accidents and most of the time even the expenses for a hotel should your apartment become uninhabitable due to damages.  Again, these things will vary.

Yes, your landlord already has insurance but the thing is, his insurance will more than likely only cover the property itself and not what you have inside of the property.  However, renter’s insurance will cover most everything from your wardrobe and furniture to your electronics and even more.  Some carriers will even reimburse you for what they would cost to purchase now too, as opposed to what they cost when you paid for them.

If someone gets hurt in your apartment, they will be able to get the care they need.  If you cause any damage to the apartment, it can also be covered.  The damage might be able to be repaired by you paying your deductible and your renter’s insurance policy taking care of the rest. 

If you aren’t able to stay in your apartment while damage is being repaired, you may even be able to be reimbursed for the cost of the hotel.

If you are in the Buena Vista, VA area and have questions about renter’s insurance and what type of coverage is offered in your area, call or come by Stonewall Grace Insurance.  There are friendly and knowledgeable agents ready to answer all of your questions and get you covered.

Tax Facts on Life Insurance

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Taxes, nor insurance, is universal across all fifty states. Laws vary on both which often confuses people. However, there are universal tax facts that apply to life insurance that the insured should both know. Stonewall Grace Insurance is up to par with both the state and federal laws. Educating clients before they purchase life insurance is essential. Most life insurance holders only know that their premiums are not tax deductible but the relationship between tax and insurance knowledge stops there.

Surrendering the Policy

By surrendering  a life insurance policy to the insurance company or for whatever reason the policy lapses, any profit obtained is taxable at regular income tax rates.  

Taxes on Loan Against Policy

The insured can borrow against  a life insurance policy.  In this loan against the policy, the money received is generally not taxable as long as it is within non-taxable limits.

When the Beneficiary is a Charity or Church

If a church or charity is the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, they are generally still tax exempt from the proceeds. However, the charity or church must be recognized by the state as well as the federal government to be free of taxation.

Exception to Rule Number One

There is an exception to the insured’s premium being tax deductible. If the policy was gifted to a trust, charity, or church, the premiums paid by the insured are tax deductible being they will be receiving the proceeds upon the policy holder’s death.

These are only a few tax facts a life insurance policyholder should know and each one answered are only answered in a way that IRS jargon does not confuse. By contacting Stonewall Grace Insurance, not only will life be insured, tax crisis is avoided.

 

 

5 Steps to an Easier Moving Day

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Most people dread moving day, and it’s never going to be any fun. However, with a few simple steps, you can make the dreaded day just a bit easier.

Step #1 – Have a Great Packing Kit

Start out by making sure you have a kit of everything you’ll need for packing. This kit should include different types of duct tape, permanent markers, pens, some scissors, a snack, a notebook, and some water. You’ll find all of these things handy before and on moving day.

Step #2 – Ask Around for Boxes

You’re already blowing a lot of money on your move, so don’t spend more money on moving boxes. Instead, talk to people you know to see if you can get some free boxes. Many hardware stores and grocery stores are happy to give away their empty boxes.

Step #3 – Keep Track of What You Pack

It’s easy to write a generic label on a box and then you have no idea where the bedding ends up when you’re ready to unpack. Make moving day easier by keeping track of what you pack in a notebook. Give every box a number and write down what’s in the box in your notebook. This way it’s easy to figure out where everything is.

Step #4 – Have a Special Box for the First Night

You probably don’t want to unpack everything to find what you need for that first night. Make it all simple by packing a special box for the first night. Make sure you have all the essentials on hand, such as toothbrush and toothpaste, toilet paper, change of clothes, towels and washcloths, and cups.

Step #5 – Use More Than Boxes

Don’t get stuck in the rut of just using boxes. Many items can be packed in garbage bags, such as bedding, pillows, pajamas, and other items that don’t need to be kept wrinkle-free or stored flat.

Once you move, it’s important to ensure your new home is insured. Find out about your home insurance options by contacting the Stonewall Grace Insurance group today.

Stay calm to avoid road rage

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Road rage is becoming more of a problem as roads get more crowded and people feel stressed. People have even been killed in a fit of road rage, which is doing anything while driving to endanger another person. Sometimes there are fights – or even shootings – when people eventually stop their cars. Road rage happens when people feel their space has been invaded.

"With road rage, you’re basically driving under the influence of impaired emotions," says Leon James, PhD, a professor of psychology at University of Hawaii. He said controlling thoughts, feelings and actions are the key to avoiding letting emotions get out of control.

Here are some tips to avoid letting yourself get to the point of having a road rage event.

  • Slow down. Drive slower and in a more relaxed way. That will keep the stress level down .
  • Remember courtesy. Yes, you may be right, but ask yourself is it worth getting upset about.  It certainly isn’t worth getting into an altercation and going to jail over.
  • Give the other driver the benefit of the doubt. They may have no idea what they have done.  Remember you may also have done something unintentional as well, that bothered other drivers.
  • Music soothes the savage breast. Listen to light music that is relaxing. Avoid loud, hard driving music with a lot of bass  that can actually make you more stressed.
  • Pay attention to yourself. If you are stressed already, it will be easier to get upset at another driver. Try relaxation techniques such as deep breaths and if you are driving, stretch and flex your hands to help them relax. A little intentional de-stressing and help.

While you are relaxed, visit Stonewall Grace Insurance for all your automotive insurance needs. Let our professionals find the policy that is right for you and your family.

A First-Time ATV Owner’s Guide to ATV Insurance

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These days, more and more people are discovering the great outdoors with the help of All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs).  While these recreational vehicles can be an exciting way to explore those backcountry trails, they can be tricky for new riders.  Following these easy tips will help keep your ATV riding safe and enjoyable.

Keep Things Simple. 

If you’re a first-time rider, don’t buy the most souped-up ATV on the market, even if it is the flashiest.  A simpler machine will be easier to control and won’t overpower you.  In general, try to look for ATVs with an automatic transmission and a 200-400cc engine.

Safety First

There are few things less fun than an ATV ride that ends with a trip to the emergency room.  At minimum, always make sure you wear a proper motorcycle helmet, goggles, over-the-ankle boots, gloves, long pants, and long sleeves.  You might also invest in shin pads, a chest protector, and knee, elbow, and wrist guards for additional protection.

Practice

Many states require new ATV owners to complete a safety course if they’re under a certain age.  But you don’t have to be a kid to benefit from these classes.  As you get started riding an ATV, you’ll also want to stick to simple, flat terrain until you get the hang of riding.  As you gain experience, you can graduate to more challenging trails and routes.

Insurance and Paperwork

Many states require ATVs to be titled like cars; additionally, you often must have a permit and pay fees to ride on public trails.  Even if your state does not require ATV insurance, you may want to have it on hand for liability purposes, as homeowner’s insurance may not cover liability if you ride off your property.  Also, insurance can cover you in the event your ATV is ever stolen.  Make sure you register and insure your ATV appropriately, and look into season passes through the U.S. Forest Service.

At Stonewall Grace Insurance, we are committed to helping you stay safe when you’re out on the trails.  Call today to learn more about insurance coverage for your ATV, RV, or any other recreational vehicles you might own.  Our agents look forward to helping you.