How an Open House Can Become a Nightmare.

One of the most exciting times in any young persons life is when they put on a cap and gown for high school graduation. One could argue that only a first kiss or getting their drivers license might rival this milestone.

Traditionally, parents throw an open house to celebrate the graduates past success and dreams for their future. These events are always an enjoyable experience but come with some risks that you most likely don't come across very often..

Serving Alcohol to a Minor, Criminal Implications

The legal drinking age in the State of Michigan is 21. As much as you may agree or disagree with the law, it is important to remember that if a minor at your event is served alcohol and you're somehow caught by law enforcement you may receive a $1000 fine and up to 60 days in jail. 

You can be held responsible for the actions of a minor if you provide them alcohol. It is considered a felony, should the minor you provide alcohol to die or is responsible for the death of another. This can be punishable up to 10 years in prison and a $6000 fine. 

Serving Alcohol to a Minor, Civil Implications

Providing alcohol to a minor makes you directly responsible for their actions. Even if the minor is 20 years of age, you're still responsible for any damages that occur while they are considered to be under the influence. 

For example, at your child's graduation party you are serving their friends, all under the age of 21. One of the boys in the group, Jeremy, has had too much and is getting angry at Floyd for talking to his girlfriend. Jeremy decides to take a swing at Floyd and knocks Floyd out. Floyd is taken to the hospital and has suffered vision damage for the rest of his life. As the hosts of the party and adults serving Jeremy, you can be legally found responsible for Jeremy's actions and dragged into a civil lawsuit. 

Serving Alcohol to someone 21 or over

With any celebration and party you might have a guest that gets carried away. Please keep in mind that Michigan is a social host liability state. This means is that you can be held liable if a guest injures themselves or someone else as a result of alcohol consumption from your party.

Serve Your Guests Responsibly

If you are going to serve your guests here are some tips:

- Limit your own alcohol intake so that you can better judge your guests sobriety

- Do not serve guests who are visibly intoxicated

- Stop serving alcohol at a certain time, switch to other products such as pop or coffee

- Encourage guests to have a designated driver 

- If you have guests who are intoxicated without a ride, offer to call them a cab or allow for them to stay at your home.

Be Responsible and Enjoy Your Time

Although the graduate loves this time of year and looks forward to their graduation party, there is a lot of stress that goes into planning an open house. As our agency staff knows these parties keep you busy with planning, cooking, and cleaning. So although you're putting on the party, don't forget to enjoy the celebration.

Spalding Insurance Agency is an independent agency with two locations in mid-Michigan to service your insurance needs. We want to wish all of the 2013 graduates the best of luck in their future endeavors. For a quote on your personal or business insurance click here.

'Merica

Memorial Day is a day to remember the men and women who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

Nothing says 'Merica like Memorial Day Weekend. It is the unofficial kickoff to the summer season and with summer comes grilling, beaches, bonfires, and boating. With all of these activities we can assume that you will decide to enjoy one of America's other favorite "b" words, beer. Please remember to enjoy all of these activities responsibly this weekend.

The forecast in Michigan is calling for sunshine and perfect weather to be out on a boat. We would like to remind you of some basic boating safety rules.

Boat Safety

1) Make sure you know the weather and water conditions. The internet and television is where you should check first. If you're truly in the great outdoors without access to these luxuries, use common sense by looking at the sky and your surrounding environment.

2) Have a pre-departure checklist so that you can make sure that your equipment is running correctly and that you have emergency equipment handy. Emergency equipment should include but not be limited to life-vests and flashlights.

3) Designate an assistant skipper, think Gilligan, to help you with any issues that might arise. Some issues you might face is out of control guests, needing navigational help, or help locating emergency gear.

4) Make sure as the captain you limit your alcohol intake. Alcohol plays a major role in boating accidents. Enjoying alcohol responsibly will lead to helping keep your guests and others on the lake safe.

5) Have a trip plan and make sure someone on the boat knows what your plan is. A lot can happen on a lake and sometimes it is not all fun and games. Make sure someone who is not on the boat knows your intentions and is able to have an idea of your location should you not return at the time you're supposed to.

Enjoy Your Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend is not only a time to remember those who lost their life while serving but also a time to celebrate. So whether you are celebrating with your friends or family on a lake or a golf course, take the time to enjoy yourself.

Our office will be closed on Monday May 27th, 2013 for the holiday weekend. Please keep in mind that our website has a list of emergency phone numbers for you to use should an emergency arise.

Spalding Insurance Agency is an independent agency with two locations in mid-Michigan to service you. We hope you enjoy your holiday weekend, we know that we will. For a quote on your personal or business insurance click here.

Severe Spring Weather

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people in Oklahoma who are dealing with the aftermath of the tornadoes. It is a sad day when any community goes through a great loss of life and devastation to their homes and surrounding environment.

With such a tragedy the one thing that never ceases to amaze me is the American spirit and willingness to help out complete strangers. Over the next few days we will here stories of people who will travel from all over this great country of ours to lend a hand to a community in need.

If you would like to donate to help the victims of these storms you can text RedCross to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Get Prepared!

As you know the weather in Michigan, like the mood of an infant, can change in a heartbeat. For instance look at the past couple of days, we have had sunshine and literally minutes later we are in the eye of a severe thunderstorm. Being prepared takes time and planning but here are some quick tips for you to get a plan in place.

Before the Storm

So you don't have a plan in place for your family? Good news for you is there is still time. But before the storm you need to know what to do. Here are ideas of the things you should do before a storm.

1) Build an emergency kit. This kit should include; a flashlight, non-perishable food, water, extra batteries, a first-aid kit, a radio, and a cell phone in case you're trapped by debris.

2) Have an emergency plan. Make sure your family knows where to go in case of severe weather. Include information on where to meet when the storm is over, in case not everyone was together.

During the Storm

1) Use your weather radio to listen to updates about your local weather

2) Avoid contact with cords and electronics plugged into outlets.

3) Avoid contact with plumbing. Try not to wash your hands, shower, do laundry. These fixtures can conduct electricity.

After the Storm

1) Stay off of the roads and allow for emergency crews to clear roads and provide assistance.

2) Try to use your phones for emergencies only, it is important for cellphone lines to be open for people who truly need to contact help.

3)Watch out for debris such as tree limbs, power lines, and other hazardous debris.

4) Help injured or trapped persons. Do not attempt to help those who are seriously injured.

Severe Weather Resources

Before the internet, how were we taught to be prepared? Our local schools who taught us it was important to have fire safety and severe weather plans. The great thing about the internet is there is still a lot of information available and that a plan is important.

For more information and to help prepare a plan, I would recommend using Ready.Gov as a resource in preparing your family for all emergency situations.


Spalding Insurance Agency is an independent agency with two locations in mid-Michigan to service your insurance needs. We want to make sure you and your family are prepared for natural disasters. For a quote on your personal or business insurance click here.

Why Now is the Time for Reform.

Enacted in 1973, Michigan’s No Fault Law was, and is today, one of the best in the United States in terms of coverage and claims settlement.   Its Unlimited Lifetime Medical Coverage was the absolute best in the land, a benchmark for other states to follow!  But it has become unaffordable to many, and now is the time fore reform.

You might see in the press others who are against this reform, and their reasoning is simple……it’s become a cash cow to the medical profession. If you’ve been treated in an emergency room, what is the first question they ask?   “Are your injuries a result of an auto accident????”

Studies have shown that you could go into a hospital for falling off your ladder and have your health insurance billed $400 for a CAT Scan. If the CAT Scan is a result of an auto accident, the charge for the exact same procedure is $1,800!    The reason being is simple….there is no mandated set reimbursement schedule for auto related medical treatment!.  It’s an open checkbook, and one we all pay in the form of some of the highest rates in the country.
 

Review your policy, add the premiums together for the Personal Injury Coverage and the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Assessment.   That is the cost you’re paying, per vehicle, for the Unlimited Lifetime Medical Coverage.   In order to be affordable, we have got to align our reimbursement with those others pay.

Even if our benefits are reduced to the proposed levels, we’re still offering 50 times the coverage level of any other state!  If our laws were to be benchmark for insurance coverage in the USA, why hasn’t any other state adopted the Unlimited Lifetime Medical Coverage?

For more information, please visit WWW.NoFaultReform.Com.  Also, please let your legislators know that you’re in favor of the Reform, and ask for their support!

Spalding Insurance Agency is an independent agency with two locations in mid-Michigan to service you. We want to make your life easier. For a quote on your personal or business insurance click here.

What Guy Fieri Knows About Grilling Safety

The three d's might have been one of the best TV shows over the past decade. Unaware of what the "three d's" is, no worries, it is a slang for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives a show hosted by Guy Fieri, one of America's original bad boys.

So what exactly does Guy Fieri know about grill safety? I am sure that he knows a lot about it but there weren't any direct tips that I could find online. In fact, most of the stuff I found online was under his name was some great recipes that you can try out this summer.

Since Guy wasn't able to provide us with any grilling safety tips we figured we'd share with you some tips from our very own experience.

Grill Safety Tips

1) Location

Do you have a nice deck or patio that you store your grill on? If so, make sure that upon starting your BBQ you move the grill or smoker away from your garage or home. Every year we hear the horror stories of homes catching on fire because the grill wasn't it a safe location.

2) Fire

What is your contingency plan if your grill gets out of control? Having a bucket of water or hose nearby is never a bad idea. For those of you who are using a gas grill, do you know the safest way to cut the fuel supply if the fire gets out of control? In case you didn't know, charcoal and gas grills should only be used in an outdoor area.

3)Food Safety

Growing up, I was always preached to the importance of food safety. This could be something as properly cooking your meat to the right temperature or making sure you wash your hands after touching raw or uncooked meats.

Now I am not saying that I am by any means the safest man on the grill but the one thing I can tell you is that common sense pretty much applies to grilling safety. So next time you light up that BBQ make sure to remember that thousands of injuries and fires occur each year from a grilling related incidence. They are called accidents for a reason.

Spalding Insurance Agency is an independent agency with two locations in mid-Michigan to service you. We want to be invited to your next BBQ. For a quote on your personal or business insurance click here.

Auto Insurance Reform (The Facts)

It is a great time to call Michigan home.

Summer is now here and that means that we get the chance to hit the links or the lakes and enjoy the Great Lakes State.

Elsewhere in Michigan there is a battle brewing that directly impacts you, me, and all residents of Michigan. Lansing is currently sitting in the middle of a debate on No-Fault Auto Insurance Reform.

We want you to be informed on the issue. So here are some facts about No-Fault Auto Insurance Reform. Within the next few days we will share our professional opinion on the issue.

Click Here for No-Fault Reform Facts


Spalding Insurance Agency is an independent agency with  two locations in mid-Michigan to service you. We want to make your life easier. For a quote on your personal or business insurance click here.

Reforming Michigan's Auto Insurance

If you pick up a newspaper odds are, you will find something within the first few pages about auto insurance reform for the State of Michigan.

Head to one of these popular newspaper's websites and read the comments that people have posted online about these same articles. Heck, head to your favorite social media platform and I am sure you have family and/or friends who have posted about the discussion going on in Lansing.

Auto insurance reform is a heated debate and the most important thing for everyone in this state, is to be involved and informed.

Tomorrow we will touch base on the facts of reform. Only facts and no opinions. The facts from both sides of the argument. Following our fact based blog we will give you our view on auto insurance reform and why we feel that way.


Spalding Insurance Agency is an independent agency with  two locations in mid-Michigan to service you. We want to make your life easier. For a quote on your personal or business insurance click here.