Ol’ Man Winter can take his toll on your home and business unless you take steps to protect your buildings from snow and ice damage.

Heavy snow accumulation can do damage even as it melts. Here are a few things to consider:

• Blowing snow will typically accumulate on the leeward side of many roofs and should be removed to avoid damage to your roof. If you are unsure, consult a roofing contractor. 
• Melting snow can result in costly moisture damage. See that snow is removed from outside stairwells, windows, and walls.
• When snow melts on the roof and water runs down and refreezes at the much cooler roof's edge, it may cause damage to your roof. This is often caused by a warm attic. To be sure the attic stays cold in the winter, check the insulation level.

Insurance Tip

Well before damage occurs, be sure that your home is protected adequately with home owners insurance. Why not call your insurance agent for a policy review if you have any question.

In addition to being a threat to your personal safety, lightning is responsible for devastating structure fires, deaths and hundreds of millions in damage expenses, as well. Do you know what time of day and month of the year most lightning occurs? It is worthwhile to know as much about this threat as you can so you are able to protect yourself and your family as well as your property.

ErieSense.com says: “From 2007 to 2011, local U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 22,600 fires per year that were started by lightning. These fires caused an average of nine civilian deaths and $451 million in direct property damage per year. Home fires accounted for 19 percent of the lightning fires.”

Read the entire article with video and infographic to find out what you need to know about lightning and lightning protection systems to minimize the chance of property damage from lightning strikes.

Here at Daniel Howley Insurance Agency, we are a full service insurance agency, offering auto/car insurance, homeowners insurance, business/commercial insurance and life insurance to Rockville MD, all of Maryland and Virginia. Our experienced insurance agents welcome the opportunity to discuss your coverage needs and questions at any time.

Ol’ Man Winter has not been kind to us. Even though we welcome the end to ice and snow and the polar vortex they rode in on, we now must deal with the dreaded potholes they have left in their wake. Now, that same ice and snow has left us dodging potholes as we drive on our roads.

Potholes are more than just a nuisance. If your vehicle hits a pothole, you could be left with major damage and large repair bills. So would that repair bill be covered by your insurance? The answer is a strong “Maybe”. If your auto insurance policy includes the optional Collision coverage, then the damage to your vehicle sustained by hitting the pothole would typically be covered up to the limits of your policy and after the Collision deductible has been met.

But sometimes the damage is not limited to just your own vehicle. Potholes might cause you to lose control, and you might hit another car or perhaps even a pedestrian. Damages to the other car or the pedestrian are not covered by your Collision coverage but by your Liability coverage.

Auto Insurance Tip

Before you set out on pothole-damaged roads, check with your insurance agent to be sure that your auto insurance policy includes the Collision coverage to protect you as well as to check on your Liability coverage limits in the event you need them.

Find out more about what auto insurance policy typically covers.

Here at the Daniel Howley Insurance Agency, we can answer all your insurance questions. Why not sit down with us to review your coverages and policy limits to be sure you are protected just in case you need it.