Driving Tips for Deer Season

It appears from the photos on Facebook and circling the web that this hunting season has been a success for area hunters. Sadly, this deer season has also had its share of car/deer accidents resulting in injuries and car damage for thousands of motorists throughout mid Michigan.

Having a deer run into your path while on the road is a very scary thing, if you're not prepared on what to do. Being quick to act and knowing some of these preventive techniques will go along ways for the safety of you and your passengers.

Preventative Techniques

- The most important safety tip is to travel at posted speeds or below them. The more conservative you are with your speed, the more time you will have to break for a deer.

- Drive with your lights on for better visibility.

- Scan the side of the roads for eyes shining in your headlights.

- When possible, drive with your high beams on. This is another trick to increase visibility which can help with your reaction time.

- Pay attention to the signs along roads that warn of high deer traffic areas. These signs are there to indicate problem areas for motorists and should not be ignored.

- Wear your seat-belt.

Where are the deer?

- Deer are frequently found in highly wooded areas and mostly on the outskirts of towns. Although it is not uncommon for people to see them within suburban areas.

- Deer travel in large packs. If you see one, you can assume that there are several more nearby.

- From October to January, Deer, are in heat and breeding. The effect of this is that they are highly active and tend to be on the move during prime hours such as dusk and dawn.

What to do when seeing a deer

- The golden rule is to never swerve to avoid a deer in the road. Swerving can cause for you to lose control of your vehicle, resulting in a potential head on collision, driving into a ditch or tree, which can lead to more serious injuries and vehicle damage.

- Slow down when you spot a deer.

If you have the unfortunate luck to actually hit a deer call the proper emergency services that are needed. If no one is injured it is still a good idea to get an official police report of the incident for documentation for the insurance company.

Stay alert and safe travels!

The Results Are In....

With over 50 golfers participating on a gorgeous sunny July day, the results are in for the 2013 Spalding Insurance Golf Classic! With the generosity of our hole sponsors, and those who joined us at Glenbrier Golf Course, $2,251 was donated to the Perry-Morrice-Shaftsburg Emergency Relief Council. 

In just 10 years of tournament play, over $20,000 has been donated to this worthwhile cause, and a big THANK YOU to those who make it possible each year.

Our 2013 Hole Sponsors included:

Unique Touch Housekeeping

The Shirt Smith

Joe’s Body Shop

P.F. Green & Sons

Ridenour’s Auto Repair

Jackie Hurd

Fremont Insurance Company

Bill Leech Repair Service

Michigan Millers Insurance Company

Heb’s Inn

Snyder’s IGA

Elsesser’s Auto Repair

Perry Dental

Garn Restoration

Scepka Builders

Citizens Insurance Company

Chemical Bank

Mid Michigan Glassworks

In addition to the tournament winners, other contests included a 50/50 drawing, Raffles and Closet to the Pin contest, and to our golfers….THANK YOU for spending a part of your day with us. 

The 2014 Spalding Insurance Golf Outing is in the planning stages and  and we look forward to seeing you on the links! 

About Spalding Insurance Agency

Spalding Insurance Agency provides exemplary service and access to Michigan's finest insurance companies. We proudly serve the personal and business insurance needs of people in East Lansing, Okemos, Haslett, Lansing, DeWitt, Perry, Detroit, Holt, Mason, Grand Rapids, Laingsburg, Bath, and other great Michigan cities. For a quote on auto insurance, home insurance, business insurance, or life insurance click here. 

Halloween Safety Tips that Everyone Needs to Read

The Halloween season is upon us. Hopefully your pumpkins are carved and your decorations are up because on Halloween night thousands of children and families will take to the streets for trick or treating. A time honored passage, trick or treating, is a great experience for families and your local town. 

Sarah Hearts/ SarahHearts.com

Chief Kyle Bawks of the City of Perry was kind enough to help provide tips
on how to stay safe this Halloween.

Safety tips for Trick-or-Treaters 

- Planning costumes that are bright and reflective. Having the leader of
your group carry around a flashlight is also important. We want to make surethat we are able to see and be seen at all times. 

- Make sure that your costumes are short enough that you will not have to worry about tripping and falling. Be prepared to wear shoes that fit comfortably. 

- A responsible party should also accompany children around their neighborhoods, this can be a parent, grandparent, or older sibling. 

- Going to houses where the lights are on. Not only is this a safety measure but it will also save you time as homes without lights on our usually not participating in passing out candy.

Safety for drivers during Trick-or-Treating 

- Driving with your lights on, even with well lit streets or during the daylight. 

- Drive slow and remain cautious. The volume of people along with the excitement might cause for pedestrians to forget to look both ways for cars, use crosswalks, and stay on sidewalks. 

- If possible, keep the windows down with the radio volume low. This can help you hear movement or voices outside of your car.

After the trip parents should examine all candy for anything unwrapped, opened or suspicious. Or for a reward for yourself? 

Have a Happy Halloween and remember to remain safe!

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

Progressive Snapshot Auto Insurance Comes to Michigan

As an independent insurance agent providing auto insurance in the East Lansing, Michigan area, it is our honor to introduce Progressive Insurance Snapshot.

Progressive Snapshot is a new technology brought to you by Progressive Insurance. This technology offers you the opportunity to earn additional discounts on your auto insurance based on your driving behavior.

How Does Progressive Snapshot work?

Progressive Snapshot is a small device that you plug into your car to monitor your driving habits. 

Will Progressive Snapshot help me?

The best part about Progressive Snapshot is that it cannot hurt you, or increase your premiums based on the information returned about your driving behavior. The program is meant to help good drivers earn additional car insurance discounts.

You should consider Progressive Snapshot insurance if you:

-Drive less than 15,000 miles a year

-Don't slam your breaks frequently

-Don't drive between the hours of midnight and 4 AM

How does Progressive Snapshot work?

Once you have an insurance policy with Progressive and enrolled into the Snapshot program, Progressive, will send you a small device. You will then plug this small device into your diagnostic port of your vehicle. 

This device will monitor your driving behavior. It will transmit your data directly to Progressive. So after your initial plug-in , you are not responsible for anything else.

After the initial 30 days of the device installed, you can earn a discount that will go into effect for the rest of your policy. You will continue to use the device until your next renewal at which Progressive will contact you to return your device. At this point you will be done with your device and any applicable discounts will be added automatically to your policy.

I am interested in learning more about Progessive Snapshot, where do I go?

As a Certified Snapshot Agency, Spalding Insurance Agency, is able to help you with any questions you might have on this Progressive Insurance program. You can call us at (517)337-3200 or e-mail Ryan@SIA1905.com for more information on how to qualify for the industry's newest car insurance discount. 

Spalding Insurance Agency is an independent agency with two locations in mid-Michigan to service your insurance needs. We represent Progressive Insurance for all of your car, commercial auto,boat, motorcycle  and recreational insurance needs. For a quote on your personal or business insurance click here.

Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill

It’s the end of your day and you walk into your house, saying hello to the kids. You’ll spend the evening with your family, maybe watching some TV, and finally going through your stack of mail.

In the mail is the dreaded monthly cell phone bill.  Although you love your smart phone and all of its features, much like insurance, you hate seeing that bill. All of the add-on’s, the taxes, etc. really add up, so you go over it for any possible reduction.

In the list of charges is insurance, which may be $6 to $10 a month depending on your carrier. $6 to $10 a month doesn't seem like a lot of money to offer protectio

n on a $700 phone (retail value, not the $200 it'd cost if this was for an upgrade), but what if you’re covering multiple phones?  Now the numbers really start to add up…..you’re paying anywhere from $300 to $480 a year to “insure” them!!

  

How your Homeowners or Renters Insurance can help save you $410 a year.

Assume you have the same family of 4 and you're shelling out $480 a year for coverage on your smart phones.

Here is a little secret on how to reduce this cost, schedule your phones on your homeowners or renters insurance policy.

What does it mean to “schedule” an item on your homeowners/renters insurance policy?

Scheduling an item means you’re listing the item on your policy, and paying the additional cost to insure it.  The value is usually determined through an appraisal or receipt of purchase.

For example, you would schedule your phone not for the promotional price you received as an update but for the price to replace your phone should you not receive promotional pricing.

How would scheduling my cell phones save me $410 a year?

Let’s continue our assumption that you are paying $480 a year under your insurance program with your carrier for four phones and their insurance.

The average rate you can expect to pay on your homeowners/renters insurance policy is $17* a YEAR per phone. With four phones your out of pocket expenses for the YEAR is $70*.

So instead of the current $480 you’re paying your costs are now $70, which is a savings of $410.

By scheduling your smartphones on your policy you can reduce costs on your cell phone plans.

Think about all that you could do with an extra $410 a year.

-Buy tickets to more concerts or sporting events

-Stay an extra day or two on your vacation

-Invest in life insurance or more life insurance

We Can Help!

We can, in all probability, reduce this cost and improve your coverage!    Are you aware of the Deductible under your cell phone carriers plan?   Depending on the type of phone you have, it might be as high as $99.  Our companies are offering better rates, with no deductible, by “scheduling” your phone on your homeowners/renters insurance policy.

*All figures are used to represent the potential savings and cost to schedule your cell phone. This information was taken from current clients accounts. 

Spalding Insurance Agency is an independent agency with two locations in mid-Michigan to service your insurance needs.We love to save you money in life and on your car, home, and business insurance. For a quote on your personal or business insurance click here.

How Working in a Dentist Office Can Save You Money on Insurance.

Working in a dental office can be quite an experience. Although I personally have no experience working in one, I do have experience with visiting my dentist regularly.

I’d like to commend the men and women who go to work each and everyday working with people and their teeth. Working inside people's mouths was not the career path for me…..I get grossed out easily and would constantly be worried about having a patient bite my finger. A big shout out goes to dental assistants, oral hygienists, and the dentists who put their fingers at risk everyday to make the world's smiles better!

But let’s not forget about the other heroes in the office, the administrators. I know for a fact that working with insurance companies and the general public can be a major struggle. Your job is not easy and it would be unfair of me to let you go unnoticed. Your days are full of multitasking and keeping the ship sailing smoothly.

Outside of my regular visit to my dentist, the only other way I can let the staff know how valuable they are to me is through spreading the word on how they qualify for special INSURANCE DISCOUNTS.

Why do I get a discount for working at a dentist office? 

Each of the 5 companies we represent offer group discounts for members and associates of different groups or organizations. As an employee of a dental office you're entitled to a group discount on your home and auto insurance.

How do I receive this discount?

Not all insurance companies or agencies offer these discounts. Luckily for you, we do and we would love to provide you with it.  All that you have to do is take the first step towards qualifying for your discount and click here. 

Is this the only discount Spalding Insurance Agency has to offer?

No, thru the companies we represent we are able to offer many other discounts! Some other discounts include multi-policy, multi-car, good student and prior carrier discounts.

Why are you telling me about this discount?

Because we appreciate and respect what you do everyday in helping make the worlds smiles brighter.

Spalding Insurance Agency is an independent agency with two locations in mid-Michigan to service your insurance needs.We love to floss as much as we love to save you money and service your insurance needs.  For a quote on your personal or business insurance click here.

Why You Can't Miss the 2013 SIA Golf Classic!

For the 9th straight year we are proud to host the Spalding Insurance Agency Golf Classic that benefits the Perry, Morrice, Shaftsburg Area Emergency Relief Fund.

It is our pleasure to host this golf classic and hope that you and your foursome will look to join us on August 24th at Glenbrier Golf Course in Perry, Michigan.

Outside of getting the chance to spend time with your favorite insurance agency staff here are 5 reasons you should clear your schedule for August 24th, 2013 and join us on the course:

1) A great cause. Over the last 9 years we have raised over $25,000 for the local food bank. This wouldn't be possible without participants and hole sponsors. As our tournament continues to grow we look forward to providing an even better experience for our participants and sponsors. 

2) Cash. Think your team has what it takes to win a $250 first place prize? You better go low as past tournaments have had scores as low as 16-under. 

3) An Excuse. A day spent on a golf course is a day that you are not at the office or doing household chores. Use this as an excuse to get out and enjoy yourself for one of the last Saturdays we have in summer. 

4) The competition. How often do you get a chance to get your competitive juices flowing? Here is your chance to get a group of friends together and take on our agency staff. 

5) The Randomness. Not the best golfer but enjoy supporting a good cause and having a great time? Your team will automatically be entered to win $500 just for competing in the tournament.

The Cost and What it Includes

The cost of this years event is $50 a person or $200 for a team. With your entry fee you will receive 18-holes of golf with a cart, a hot dog , your donation to the food bank, and entry into the tournament with a $500 prize to one random team and $250 prize to the first place team.

I can't make it to golf, how else can I help?

If you are unable to make this years event but would still like to help support the outing you can do so by stopping into Spalding Insurance Agency and making a donation to the food bank.

We have hole sponsorship opportunities available for businesses who are interested in advertising their services whilst supporting a great cause. For more information on hole sponsorships, e-mail Jon@SIA1905.com.

See you on the course!

Spalding Insurance Agency is an independent agency with two locations in mid-Michigan to service your insurance needs.We love to beat our competition on the golf course and in the insurance world. For a quote on your personal or business insurance click here.