More From Advocate

The winter season is arguably the most hazardous months of the entire year. Even with further precautions that are set in place, winter storms happen. For homeowners, the list of concerns and winter problems only grows. We wanted to cover some rules for staying safe during the winter months. One of the most common lessons is that we need to be more careful when driving during winter storms. Some precautions a driver should take include: Putting on winter tires. Driving 5 to 10 miles below the speed limit. Letting your car warm up for a few minutes. Staying up to date with inspections, oil changes,Read More →

The holidays are upon us and with that comes decorating our houses to spread holiday cheer. But there are a few things we need to be cautious with when we are decorating to. Here are a few fire safety tips. Hanging Twinkle Lights Everyone loves driving around and seeing the homes that are decorated for the holiday season. For the individuals hanging the twinkle lights, be aware while you are hanging them. If a ladder must be used, here are a few things to remember: Set up the ladder on a secure/flat surface. Use proper footwear. Watch out for overhead risks. If possible, have aRead More →

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and with the U.S. fire departments responding to an estimated 1,630 cooking fires on Thanksgiving. With this you want to be cautious be aware of some fire safety tips. Smoke Detectors When was the last time you changed the batteries in your smoke detectors? Now is the time! Maybe you forget to set the timer or you get distracted and don’t check the oven in time, either way a smoke detector can save lives! Make sure yours are in working order! Stay in The Kitchen While we mentioned making sure your smoke detectors are in working order, one wayRead More →

As we approach the end of the year, many of us are looking forward to closing the chapter on 2020. However, this year has taught us to be prepared for the unexpected and have plans should anything happen again. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many businesses to shutter their doors. Those businesses that survived, had to find new ways to make revenue and many ventured into the world of the internet to keep revenue flowing. Along with the intensive growth in individuals using the internet, comes more possibilities for cyber attacks. Protecting your business and your customers on the internet needs to be topRead More →

This year has shown us that truly the most unpredictable of problems can spring up out of nowhere. Thousands of businesses have faced hardships in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Plenty more have been forced to shut their doors for the time being. Along with the pandemic, there are dozens of other risks that should still be accounted for. We’re reaching the end of 2020, but it’s not too late to start planning ahead to make 2021 a better year for your business. Here at Advocate Insurance, we’re available to help you with preparing and planning for different situations that could arise. If youRead More →

As businesses have started to adapt online since the spread of COVID-19, there has been a greater number of cyberattacks. Many small businesses may experience at least one cyberattack due to their lack of security. Be prepared by having a risk assessment test conducted to indicate your vulnerabilities. You should create a plan to protect your website and other sensitive data. We want to take a moment to talk about our risk assessment program. With our program, we’ll do the following: Run through a few steps to find possible threats. Assess the damage they could hold. Use this to further develop a plan to protectRead More →

The summer months are a great time to tackle those projects around the house, especially this summer as more of us are staying home and skipping annual vacations. Here are a few maintenance tasks you can take care of this summer. Pressure Washing Pressure washing is a great way to extend the life of certain things and also make them look new again. So, use this year to take care of your pressure washing, and check off a few items or all of them below: Porch or Deck Walkway Siding Stain That Wood Deck Wood decks need to be stained every couple of years toRead More →

As the state starts to open up from Covid-19, more and more people are venturing out and supporting their local businesses. This is great, but you also need to make sure you are staying safe and practicing social distancing. In this blog, we cover a few things you want to remember to continue doing. Masks While some places don’t require you to wear a mask, others do. In the end, until COVID-19 is no longer a threat, it is smart to continue wearing your masks. Sanitize Whether or not you are concerned about COVID-19, it is always a smart idea to sanitize. Keep sanitizer onRead More →

If you’re sheltered in place and not really going anywhere, you may not think you need to keep your vehicle maintained. That’s not the case, a car that sits and isn’t driven as much can impact the potential safety of the vehicle. Let’s review a few reasons. Tires When a vehicle is left in the same spot for too long, the tires can start experiencing flat-spotting. This is when the weight of the vehicle sitting in one spot can flatten a portion of the rubber on the tire. Check your tire pressure often and compare it to your manufacturer’s recommendations. If they need air, makeRead More →

One thing COVID-19 may have done for many businesses is make them realize that they need to have a few policies in place, such as a Business Continuity Plan. It is true this is something most of us have never experienced in our lifetime; so it is not something that we felt we needed to be prepared for. But, all of this will change our way of life. Something you can do for your business is create a Business Continuity Plan. This will allow you to be more prepared for the future and what it may hold. A Business Continuity Plan includes procedures and instructionsRead More →